Help with Chicken Noodle Soup

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This is a fairly easy chicken soup that won't want any pasta, because it has dumplings. We really enjoyed this, but we liked it better without the roux. The dumplings are easy and fun and taste pretty good. We really liked the dumplings when I made them with a spreadable goat cheese that had basil and chives.

 
Jennifer, there are different potato varieties that will hold their shape a little longer than others. Also some that have less starch. I always think of this when making various things with potato as a ingredient. Do I know which potato is which? nope, I just think about it. Half the time I've forgotten what kind of potato I have anyhow (although I think I usually pick up Russets).

I also used to have a chart that said how much pasta to use for however many servings - of course, I can't find it now. One way of estimating servings of small pasta is to remember they almost double in size. So a half cup of medium small shells will make almost 1 cup, or maybe 3/4's of a cup. Different shapes will be different of course, and how long you cook them for. Mushier is bigger.
 
I put potatoes in my chicken soup. Soup is served over brown rice and topped with fresh grated parmigiano reggiano & pecorino romano cheeses. So no noodles. Sometimes I added tiny mild meatballs (no Italian spices just grated cheese, egg, onion, (very small amount of garlic is optional), crumbs, salt and pepper added) to the soup.
 
The thing about putting noodles or dumplings in soup is that you have to increase the liquid a bit regardless. If you are making a big pot to have leftovers, it's better to cook noodles or dumplings separately and store separately because both will continue to absorb liquid and you’ll end up with a casserole, rather than soup, as someone mentioned previously.
 
The thing about putting noodles or dumplings in soup is that you have to increase the liquid a bit regardless. If you are making a big pot to have leftovers, it's better to cook noodles or dumplings separately and store separately because both will continue to absorb liquid and you’ll end up with a casserole, rather than soup, as someone mentioned previously.
Good tip Med. And rice if you like chicken and rice (or barley) soup.
 
The thing about putting noodles or dumplings in soup is that you have to increase the liquid a bit regardless. If you are making a big pot to have leftovers, it's better to cook noodles or dumplings separately and store separately because both will continue to absorb liquid and you’ll end up with a casserole, rather than soup, as someone mentioned previously.
Thoughts and prayers for you and family. I hope Milton isn't to bad.
 
This is a fairly easy chicken soup that won't want any pasta, because it has dumplings. We really enjoyed this, but we liked it better without the roux. The dumplings are easy and fun and taste pretty good. We really liked the dumplings when I made them with a spreadable goat cheese that had basil and chives.

OMG! My grandmother, a farmer's wife with 10 kids, used to make the most delicious dumpling soup every year at Thanksgiving when we would go to visit. That was so long ago that I had completely forgotten about it until you mentioned dumplings here.

But I am terrified to try it. The daughters and daughters-in-law all said that they had tried to make it and failed. Grandma's dumplings floated and did not fall apart. And she lived in a tiny town (~100 people) in a very rural and remote dry farming area. When I first remember going there she only had a small coal stove and no indoor plumbing.

But thanks for that very sweet memory from my childhood.
 
Do you get or use something like Bisquick? There's usually a recipe for drop biscuits and dumplings on the box. For dumplings you only need some milk. Mix into a dough and drop on boiling (reduce to simmer as per Chef John's video) stew or soup, cover, cook about 10 minutes. done!
I've done both, it's so easy I'm afraid I'm rather spoiled.
 
Hi Jennifer, If you choose to cook noodles separately consider using a stainless tea ball containing things like rosemary, thyme, peppercorns, etc. in the noodle water.

FWIW, Off topic but since this is the season, I put cinnamon stick fragments, cardamom pods, and cloves in one of these and add the secret ingredient of vanilla in my hot spiced cider I keep in the crockpot for visitors on these crisp Autumn days.

Inexpensive and very useful tool...

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OMG! My grandmother, a farmer's wife with 10 kids, used to make the most delicious dumpling soup every year at Thanksgiving when we would go to visit. That was so long ago that I had completely forgotten about it until you mentioned dumplings here.

But I am terrified to try it. The daughters and daughters-in-law all said that they had tried to make it and failed. Grandma's dumplings floated and did not fall apart. And she lived in a tiny town (~100 people) in a very rural and remote dry farming area. When I first remember going there she only had a small coal stove and no indoor plumbing.

But thanks for that very sweet memory from my childhood.
I had never made dumplings for soup or stew before I tried Chef John's dumplings. They were perfect, from the first time, even though somewhat bland the first time. They have all floated and none have fallen apart. I even use whole wheat flour to make the self-rising flour from the link to recipe for that, which is in the recipe for the soup and dumplings.
 
My friend's sister used to make the best dumplings ever according to the family, I never ate them, but she would never tell anyone her recipe. One day my friend walked in on her when she was making the dumplings. Pillsbury canned biscuits! She just cut them up and rolled a little between her hands so they were unrecognizable.
 
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Jennifer, there are different potato varieties that will hold their shape a little longer than others. Also some that have less starch. I always think of this when making various things with potato as a ingredient. Do I know which potato is which? nope, I just think about it. Half the time I've forgotten what kind of potato I have anyhow (although I think I usually pick up Russets).

I also used to have a chart that said how much pasta to use for however many servings - of course, I can't find it now. One way of estimating servings of small pasta is to remember they almost double in size. So a half cup of medium small shells will make almost 1 cup, or maybe 3/4's of a cup. Different shapes will be different of course, and how long you cook them for. Mushier is bigger.

I use waxy potato varieties for soups. My favorites are red potatoes. Waxy potatoes hold up to all that liquid much better than starchy potatoes, like russets.

I don't use potatoes in my chicken and pasta soups anymore. I tried it once, and didn't care for it. The textures clashed.

I always have potatoes in my beef and vegetable soup, plus celery, onion, corn and peas.

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Like I said, have no idea what kind of potatoes do what. Like waxy potatoes, been looking but never found a bag that said "Waxy Potatoes"
 
Like I said, have no idea what kind of potatoes do what. Like waxy potatoes, been looking but never found a bag that said "Waxy Potatoes"

Martha to the rescue...


CD
 
from ancient notes...
potatoes high starch russet - bake / mash / fry / whip
potatoes low starch waxy - reds, fingerling, yukon - boiling
potatoes medium starch yukon kinnebec white - /gratin / scallop / casserole
 
Low starch potatoes are also the ones that hold up to potato salad best.

I use red potatoes for potato salad, too. Down here, though, potato salads seem to usually be a mushier texture, which I assume means they are made with a starchy potato. I've had some that have been borderline mashed potatoes.

CD
 
I've read so many reports on potatoes, what does what... 4 days later I'm standing in front to the potato bins... and I'm blank. LOL

Actually some potato bags here actually have written on them what they are good for. But seeing as it takes me a a couple of months to go thru a bag, it doesn't help if one week I want to make mashers, another week fries, or scalloped, etc.
I think I read somewhere that Russet are your best all-round potatoes. So right or wrong, I buy those. So far they've been good to me.

casey, I would suggest that perhaps those mushy potato salads you've had are 1) overcooked and 2) mixed too vigorously.

I'm not saying the differences between waxy and starchy are not true, far from it, even if I should remember which ones are starchy and which are waxy - I won't remember which end use.
Bags also don't say -"Starchy Potatoes" "Waxy Potatoes". don't think marketing would go for that! :LOL:
 
casey, I would suggest that perhaps those mushy potato salads you've had are 1) overcooked and 2) mixed too vigorously.

No, it is not a mistake. There are just certain regions that make a more "mashed" texture of potato salad. It tastes good, it is just different.

When I make potato salad with waxy potatoes, after I drain the boiled potatoes, I shake them up in the pot to rough up the surface. That helps the mayo based dressing stick to the potatoes. But, I still like a little bit of bite.


CD
 
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