Friday

Today we attended Project day. Until today, our group has been small. We went from 3 to 30! There were projects on penguins, Scotland, book reports, new readers reading for the first time, civil war rifles, poetry readings, a project on lift and drag and finally ballistas and crossbows. It was very nice to see that many people come out! If you're a Cabell Co. Home School Student you should try and make it next time! Our next meeting will be February 8 at Christ the King Lutheran on Rt. 60.

Today was also just the grayest WV day ever. You gotta love WV winter...... not. What's gray, wet, muddy, cold but not freezing, windy and sunless? WV Winter. I totally understand why elderly folk move south for the winter. This weather makes a body's bones hurt. I'm sitting here trying to think of something that is NOT negative to say about it. Hmmm, it reduces the amount of bugs in the summer time? Well, maybe,, if it gets cold enough. I do love a good snow as long as it's not real slick. A good snow day is rare.

On the upside, I found a new recipe that we love! I made it in the Crock Pot today and MAN,, is it GOOD!

CROCK POT CHICKEN & CORNMEAL DUMPLINGS

1 (9 oz.) pkg. frozen cut green beans

2 c. cubed, cooked chicken

2 c. diced potatoes

1 9(13 3/4 oz.) can chicken broth

1 (12 oz.) can vegetable juice cocktail

(1 1/2 c.)1 tsp. chili powder

6 drops bottled hot pepper sauce

1/3 c. yellow cornmeal

2 tbsp. snipped parsley

1/2 c. sliced celery

1/2 c. chopped onion

1/2 tsp. sal

t1 1/4 c. packaged biscuit mix

1 c. sharp shredded American cheese

2/3 c. milk
Thaw beans by placing in strainer and run hot water over beans. Transfer to crock pot. Add chicken, potatoes, chicken broth, vegetable juice, celery, onion, chili powder, salt and hot pepper sauce, mixed together. Cover. Cook on low for 4 hours. Turn to high heat and heat until bubbly. Add water at this point if needed. Combine biscuit mix, cornmeal, 1/2 cup cheese and parsley. Add milk and stir until just moistened. Drop by tablespoons onto stew; cover. Cook 2 1/2 hours more (don't lift cover). Sprinkle dumplings with rest of cheese.

I adjusted it a bit to suit Big Daddy's tastes but wow, it was SO GOOD. Very yummy on a gray winter day. I'll be making this again and again. It was very easy. I never imagined that dumplings with a tomato based gravy would be so good.

I took some over to mom since she's all hold up in her house with pnemonia. She gave me a food grinder and some socks you put in the microwave for my birthday! Ohhhh yeah baby,, they are SO COZY! She gave me a box of food stuffs and set me to making soup. A pot of Chicken taco soup will arrive at her house tomorrow morning. I've just been a cookin' fool this week! I got a new crockpot from my MIL for Christmas and I've been keeping that thing hoppin!

Reasons I love this crock pot:

1. 3 removeable crocks

2. The crocks are pretty enough to use alone.

3. This crock pot gets HOT, but I've not had one thing stick.

4. The "warm" function is wonderful.

5. The crocks "nest" for easy storeage.

6. venting lid

7. easy grip handles

I couldn't be happier with it. Ok, I could be, it could have a timer function but can you really cook something TOO LONG in a crock pot? Nope. So that hasn't been an issue. I've seen a few new models out there that have snap tight lids. That would be nice if I had to take a crock of something somewhere but I'll just use the old towels and bungy cord thing that I always have before. Not pretty, but it keeps me from having a whole floorboard full of cheese dip.

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