US Cooking Tour Stop 25: Georgia

 We are officially half way through the cooking tour, friends! Can you believe it? I hope to finish it off this year so keep on the lookout for your state. 

Cooking Georgia's favorite foods in the dead of winter here in Oklahoma proved to be a challenge, but we made it work. I had really hoped to make fried green tomatoes and some other southern staples, but regular produce is hard to come by these days - let alone specialty items. 

My menu ended up being pimento cheese and crackers as our appetizer, chicken and dumplings for the entree and peach cobbler for dessert. Everything was absolutely delicious! 

I did not make the pimento cheese. But I highly recommend Price's brand!

The chicken and dumplings were not the typical ones we are used to, but the recipe looked too good to not try and it came from an authentic Georgia resident. It was much heartier than regular chicken and dumplings, and sort of reminded us of a mix between dumplings and a pot pie. It was creamy, rich, and excellent! My husband said it was even better the next day for lunch. 

The cobbler was made with canned peaches (gasp!) which it seems my Georgia friends are split on their opinion. Some of you said "canned is best!", while others said, "just don't use canned!" Well, canned is all I could come by, and I am telling you, I will make this cobbler again and again. It was so simple and absolutely delicious! 

So, as promised - here are the recipes. 

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

6 Tbsp butter

1 C diced celery

1 C diced onion

1 C diced carrots

3-4 cloves minced garlic

3 Tbsp flour

1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)

1 qt chicken stock

rotisserie chicken

1 Tbsp fresh thyme

Salt & peper to taste

DUMPLINGS:

2 C flour

1 Tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder

1 Tbsp thyme

Salt & pepper

4 Tbsp melted butter

3/4 C milk

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Debone chicken and set aside. Melt butter and saute carrots, onion and celery for 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. 

2. Add flour and cook for 1 more minute.

3. Add chicken stock and evaporated milk and bring to a boil. Add your chicken, thyme, salt & pepper and then reduce to simmer (uncovered) while you make your dumplings.

4. In a large bowl mix together flour, baking powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Make a well and add butter and milk. Stir to form a dough.

5. Form dough into golf ball size balls and drop into the pot. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.

6. Take a dumpling out and cut down the middle to ensure it's cooked all the way through. Serve piping hot!

PEACH COBBLER

1/4 C butter

3/4 C sugar

1 C self rising flour

29 oz canned slice peaches

1. In a large bowl combine butter, sugar and flour. Mix to form dough. 

2. Add 1/3 mixture to the bottom of a 8X11 pan and push down firmly into pan.

3. Top with canned peaches, juices included!

4. Add the rest of your crust topping and top with 2 Tbsp sugar and 1/4 C butter.

5. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes to 1 hour.

Georgia was such a fun state to do. I hope you make these recipes and let me know how you like them! Enjoy!