With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I thought I’d help my mom do some of the cooking this year. Since my parents are baking a ham, I decided to come up with the side dishes and dessert to go along with it.

Here’s what our menu looks like:

• Baked Ham
• Macaroni & Cheese Casserole
• Chicken & Dumplings (recipe below)
• Creamed Corn
• Cracker Barrel Green Beans
• Dinner Rolls
• Walnut Chocolate Chunk Brownies (Okay, I’m cheating here. It’s out of a box)

As for the Chicken & Dumplings, I’ve seen them made two ways. One method is blobs (that’s what I call it) of dough dropped into boiling broth and cooked, and the other is thinly cut strips of dough dropped into boiling broth and cooked. The latter is the method I grew up on and am accustomed to preparing.

Chicken & Dumplings

Ingredients:

• 4 – 6 Chicken Thighs
• Broth from chicken, plus additional canned broth
• 4 cups All-purpose flour
• 1 cup Crisco shortening
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Boil and debone chicken, reserving the broth. Set aside.
2. Mix flour, Crisco and salt until mealy.
3. Add about 1 1/2 cups water, or until dough is about like biscuit dough.
4. Knead very lightly. (Too much kneading will make them tough.)
5. Roll out really thin on floured surface and cut into strips.
6. Drop one strip at the time into boiling broth and cook until they are all done.
7. Add chicken, black pepper and additional salt to taste.

Now, I can’t wait to get to eat all this yummy food. Oh, how I hope I don’t overeat too much, especially on those brownies!!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!

Photo Credit: Allan Chatto

INGREDIENTS

• 4 oz wide egg noodles, uncooked
• 1 lb ground chuck
• 1 (14 oz) jar pasta sauce
• 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare noodles according to instructions on package. While noodles are cooking, brown beef; drain and stir in pasta sauce; set aside.
2. Place drained noodles in a 2 quart casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.
3. Microwave cream cheese in a medium size glass bowl on high 1 minute. Add sour cream and cottage cheese and stir together.
4. Layer cream cheese mixture over noodles, then beef mixture. Top with Parmesan cheese.
5. Cover with plastic wrap. Cut a slit in the plastic wrap for steam to escape. Place in microwave and heat on high for about 6 minutes, or until heated through. Yield: 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• FILLING
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans
• maraschino cherry halves (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter; blend in flour and salt. Chill for 1 hour. Shape into 1-in. balls; press into the bottom and up the sides of greased mini-muffin cups.
2. For filling, beat the egg in a small mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, butter and vanilla; mix well. Stir in pecans. Bake at 325 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack. Decorate with maraschino cherries if desired.

Originally found at http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pecan-Tarts-3/Detail.aspx.