Yesterday and today were essential autumn days. The leaves have just started to change down here, the air is crisp, and the wind has been shuffling leaves all around—exactly how autumn should be. If you couldn’t tell already, I love fall. As much as I complain about how cold it is to the people around me, I secretly love breaking out my scarf collection, curling up under blankets. Most importantly, I love eating hearty stews fresh off of the stove.
I made this recipe for Chicken and Dumplings a few weeks ago because I was REALLY craving it . You’ll notice when you click through to the recipe that it is a recipe for two, because I live alone now and have no roommates to pawn my leftovers off to, but this recipe actually made three servings. It was the perfect amount of leftovers, gone before I had the chance to get sick of it. Since it was chilly today and I am not quite ready to turn my heat on, I decided to make this recipe and rely on the heat of the stew to warm my soul. And stomach.
I altered the recipe ever-so-slightly by throwing in a sprig of fresh thyme while the stew boiled, instead of using dried thyme. I still had leftover thyme from last week’s moscato chicken recipe, and I always go for fresh herbs if I can.
I love the vibrant colors of the carrots and peas against the creamy broth of the stew, and the way that the dumplings look like little clouds. This dish is so warm and hearty, and pushed me deeper into my fall frenzy. The temperature is supposed to stay under 70 degrees this week, which tells me that it is officially autumn. I don’t think this is the last stew you’ll see on my blog this season.
It is a requirement that you eat this on the couch, not at a table. Preferably with a blanket and laptop on your lap. And no coffee table to hold your drink. That's too classy.
