We have GOT to clear this up...

I AM NOT AMERICAN!!! I AM IRISH! There- I said it... guess it could be worse... I could be called British! ;-) I lived in America off and on for about 13 years, mostly in Michigan (and Chicago and Rochester,NY)... also lived in Belgium (where my addiction to food began) for five years, but I was born and partially raised in Dublin - Clonsilla to be precise! I did however marry an American and one of my daughters was born in the states, but I've been home for two years now... the kids are dual citizens, the husband will be eligible for Irish citizenship when we've been married five years, this June and me... well I'm probably going to lose my green card for moving back... should be fun on the next shopping trip... those INS guys being so sweet and cuddly and all!

Anyways... that's been said... onto food matters.

Val from Val's Kitchen, a great Irish food blog, recommended an Irish kitchen shop - Kitchen Complements - with which I have made a wee purchase... I have decided to make an effort on presentation, so have purchased some food rings and other gadgety things...

I also took Laura's advice from Eat Drink Live, on a book about cooking for kids: Eat Up: Food for Children of All Ages by Mark Hix. It should be getting here today. I also ordered the New Book of Herbs, as recommended by Doris from Peppermint Farm, and a book on sewing (haha... I'm going to attempt to make some clothes!) and Nigella's Feast: Food That Celebrates Life. Would you believe that I have only just discovered her? I caught two episodes last week and another two on Sunday and I am hooked. Our philosophies on cooking and entertaining are very similar. I am so guilty of always finding a "cooks treat!" I have a relatively small appetite, and usually end up nibbling while I cook and then not being able to eat what I cook! Ridiculous... but fun!

So my culinary shopping adventures have been plentiful. I am even contemplating buying a fresh truffle (the fungus kind, not chocolate kind!) on eBay. Has anyone done this? I've bought vanilla pods on there before and been happy, but never a truffle. Would love some advice! With shipping from Italy it would work out about 30 euro ($38) for just under two ounces) so methinks that sounds like a good deal... any thoughts? I feel like I'm buying drugs with all the weights and what not! I can see the headline now "Humble Housewife Caught Red-Handed in International Truffle Cartel." Truffles are a bit like drugs though... so incredibly divine... is there a flavour anywhere that even compares? *SIGH*

So now for a recipe... How about some chicken with dumplings? This is a real comfort food recipe, that both my kids and himself enjoyed. I thought it was a bit too soupy, thought it would thicken up more than it did, so might use more flour next time. Lisa at The Food Snob made some a couple of weeks ago, but hers was way too healthy for me! :-) Had to go for the cream version! LOL! I substitute spinach for cream... hehe...

Creamy Chicken and Dumplings

• 2 -3 carrots, finely diced
• 2-3 stalks celery, finely diced
• 1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
• 3-4 tbsp butter
  
• 4 large (6 small) chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
  
• 1 lb/ 500g / 2pkgs chestnut mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 4 tbsp flour
• 1 pint chicken stock
• 2 fl oz cream

Melt the butter in a large pot, season the chicken breasts and fry until browned (not cooked) on each side. Remove from pan and toss in carrots, celery and onions, saute until slightly softened. Add flour and stir constantly until lumps are gone. Slowly pour in stock stirring continuously. Add the chicken back to the pot, add seasonings. Cook for about twenty minutes, covered on a low heat. Meanwhile make the dumplings (which I also took from The New Joy of Cooking - my cooking bible):

• 2 cups, 16 oz flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 cup milk

Bring Milk and butter to a simmer in a small pan. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add liquid and mix with a fork until just combined. Form into as many dumplings as you want. I like them kind of big, so made about 8 large ones, but the recipe states you can make 18 small ones. I must add here though, the husband did in fact make the dumplings! Wouldn't want to get in trouble you know! :-)

After the stew has been cooking for twenty minutes, turn the heat up to medium and add the dumplings. Submerge and cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked through. A little cream and parsley to garnish and voila - ticken and lumplings as my oldest says! :-)

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