This are recipes from my American cyberfriend Sherry, a.k.a. "Celest", who has a cattle farm in Texas

Roast and Relaxation Chicken and Dumplings Picante Sauce

Roast and Relaxation

This is my easy version of an old favorite. It's easy, tastes wonderful, and doesn't use every pan in the kitchen!

Ingredients

1 large oven cooking bag
One 1/2 C flour
One 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 C water
One t instant beef bouillon
One t salt
1/4 t black pepper
4 lb rump roast, boneless
3 large carrots, cut in 1" pieces
2 medium onions, cut in large wedges
3 stalks celery, cut in 1" pieces
1 medium bell pepper, cut in 1" squares
8 whole new potatoes, or regular potatoes ,cut in large pieces

Method

1) Shake flour in bag and place in a 13" X 9" X 2" baking pan.
 

2) Roll down the top of the bag, and add tomato sauce, water, bouillon, salt and pepper.

3) Squeeze the bag gently to blend.

4) Trim all the fat from the roast, and place in bag.

5) Add all the vegetables, and close bag with the nylon tie.

6) Turn the bag gently to coat meat and vegetables.

7) Make several small slits in the top of the bag for steam.

8) Bake @ 350 degrees for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until tender.

9) Remove roast to a warm platter, and serve vegetables on the side.
 
 

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Sherry's Chicken and Dumplings

When fall is in the air, this is what I get hungry for!

1) Cook a cut up chicken in about 4 cups of water to which 1T of salt has been added.
2) Throw in some celery, carrots, onion, and a bay leaf.
3) When the chicken is tender, remove it to a colander to drain and cool.
4) Continue simmering stock until it tastes rich, but not too salty.
5) Remove vegetables and bay leaf and discard. (I skim the fat off the top of my stock.)
6) When chicken is cool enough, debone it.

7) Brown some chopped onions, celery, and minced garlic in 3T of olive oil in a stock pot.
8) Add 3T flour to make a light roux. Stir till very lightly browned. 9) Add the reserved chicken stock to make a sauce.
10) Add cut up chicken, and 1/4 C of red bell pepper. Bring to a simmer, and make your dumplings.

Dumplings

We like a puffy, light dumpling.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 C flour
4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 T cooking oil
3/4 C milk

Method:

1) Mix dry ingredients, and oil and milk together.

2) Mix only till blended. Knead a few times on a floured board, and press flat with heel of hand. (Over-working will cause dumplings to be tough!)

3) Cut as desired and drop on top of simmering chicken stew.

4) Cover & simmer for 20 minutes. DO NOT LIFT LID AND PEEK!

5) Remove dumplings to plate and reserve.

6) Put chicken stew in a large serving bowl and top with the dumplings.

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SHERRY'S PICANTE SAUCE

( Texas, U.S.A.)

Ingredients:

1 gal tomatoes, chopped
2 C onions, chopped
2 C sweet bell peppers, chopped
1 C hot peppers, chopped
3 T salt
1/2 C sugar
1 T cumin
2 1/2 C cider vinegar

Method

1) I chop these one at a time in my food processor.

2) Mix them all together, and bring to rolling boil.

3) Turn down to simmer, pack at once in sterile jars, and seal immediately with sterile lids and rings.

4) I turn the sealed jars upside down on a cup towel for a bit.

I've been making this for 30 years, and have never processed it. The acid content seems to be high enough that it will keep fine. However, feel free to process the jars in a boiling water bath. Or pack the RAW mix into jars and process in a pressure cooker.
 

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