Momma Said 3-8-23

By Teri Cayton

The Parsons Advocate

Hurray, the robins are back, the daffodils are starting to bloom and I even have some crocus popping their little heads up to look for spring.  I can’t say I am sick of winter because in our area we have not had any winter to speak of.  We are so far behind in our annual snow fall but I must say we have made it up in rain.

 It will be great to have the time spring forward and hopefully this will be the last time for that to happen.  I am happy to see the longer days but with all the rain we haven’t seen so much sunshine.  Momma Said, “Better days are comin’ just hang in there, patience is a virtue.”

We are going to have more winter and that is a fact, we are under a wind advisor as I write this.  Winds are expected to blow 60 mph or higher, (can’t say I like that at all).  At least it is happening on a Friday so I will be home this weekend to make sure nothing blows away.

Can’t even say I will end up in Kansas like Dorothy, the wind is blowing in the wrong direction.  I might be doing the back stroke in the Atlantic Ocean if it blows hard enough.  Maybe if that happens I can hit the Gulf Stream and find Nemo and Dori.  Momma Said, “Make the best of a bad situation you never know what will happen.”

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Biscuit Croutons

INGREDIENTS

• 3½ POUNDS chicken 2 boneless chicken breasts and 4 bone-in chicken thighs
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 CUP onion diced
• 3 ribs celery diced
• 4 carrots sliced
• 1 large russet potato peeled and diced
• 4 CUPS chicken stock
• 1 TEASPOON dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1½ CUPS frozen corn and peas
• ½ CUP heavy cream
• 1 TABLESPOON fresh chopped parsley

BISCUIT CROUTONS:

FOR QUICKER BISCUITS YOU CAN USE BISQUICK AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE BOX

• 1 CUP self-rising flour
• 1 TABLESPOONS sugar
• ¼ CUP unsalted butter cold (or partially frozen)
• ¾ CUP buttermilk
• 2 TABLESPOONS butter melted

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pre-heat the slow cooker for 20 minutes on the HIGH setting.
2. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs (if necessary). Cut the chicken breasts in half crosswise. Season the chicken pieces on all sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the onion, celery, carrots and potatoes in the slow cooker and toss together. Add the chicken stock, dried thyme and bay leaf. Nestle the seasoned chicken into the stock and vegetables. Cover the cooker with the lid and slow cook on HIGH for 3 hours (or LOW for 6 hours).
3. While the soup is cooking, make the biscuit croutons. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
4. Combine the self-rising flour and sugar in a large bowl. Grate the cold butter into the flour and stir to coat all the butter chunks with flour. Add the buttermilk and stir until combined. Drop rounded teaspoons of dough onto a baking sheet, making sure they are at least one inch apart. (The biscuit dough can be held at room temperature at this point in order to bake the croutons closer to the time the soup is ready.)
5. Bake the biscuit croutons at 350°F for 15 minutes. Brush the biscuit croutons with the melted butter and bake for an additional 2 to 5 minutes, until golden brown.
6. Remove the lid from the slow cooker and skim any fat that has risen to the surface with a ladle. Remove the chicken from the cooker and transfer to a cutting board. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and discard the bones. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Rinse the frozen peas and corn with warm water and add them to the slow cooker, along with the heavy cream.
7. Slow cook for an additional 30 to 60 minutes on HIGH until the vegetables are soft.
8. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the chopped fresh parsley and serve in bowls with some warm biscuit croutons on top.