A Family Tradition

We finally celebrated our last Christmas get together last weekend.  It was a quick visit, but very special.  C got to see his cousins for a second time in 4 months (pretty much unheard of).  He got to see his great grandparents, too.  He already figured out how wonderful his great grandma Hazel is.  He just loved her.  He wanted to know where she was all the time--even though he didn't really talk to her.  Every once in a while he would walk up to her and hug her knees.  So sweet.  I absolutely adore my grandma and think she's an amazing person. 
She's over 80 years old and still orchestrates 3 meals a day for herself and my grandpa.  When family comes she just prepares more.  She cooked a big breakfast for 11 people Sat. morning.  She cooked chicken and dumplings for 19 people Saturday night.  My grandma is an expert dumpling maker.  I know there's a lot of variation in taste as far as dumplings go, but I'm of course partial to my grandma's.  Dumplings are the ultimate comfort food.  I can't remember a time as a child going to grandma's house when she didn't make dumplings while we were there.  This time I made it a point to see how she makes them.  I actually got to help roll them out and put them in the broth.  I won't share her trade secrets b/c it's just too special--besides I couldn't.  She doesn't measure anything--it's all by feel.  But she makes the most tender, thin dumplings you could imagine in a sinfully thick broth.  Not figure friendly, but so yummy!  I tried to document the process so I could remember how to emulate, but honestly it will be hard for anyone to copy.

The dough (forgot to take a pic prior to adding the flour to the egg/broth combo)

the oh so rich broth



the glob of sticky dough that will be worked into magic dumplings

working in a lot of flour

rolling them out--this is the hard part--it took me three times to get it where she didn't have to fix it.

her super thin dumplings

cutting the strips

pinching in pieces and putting them in the broth

the dumplings boiling away in their bath

My dad got some funny photos of me making trying to roll out the dumplings.  I'll have to get them from him.  I was exhausted after rolling out the 3 I did--grandma did 3 or 4 before that. 

In case you're wondering--the chicken is added back in at the end.  Nothing fancy like vegetables or boiled eggs in this version.