Granny

Granny, Mamaw, Meemaw, Mimi...not matter what you call them, grandmothers are something special, aren't they? If you've had a grandparent or grandparents as a part of your life, you should consider yourself VERY fortunate. I am so very thankful for mine. I never got to meet my maternal grandma but my paternal granny (Janice) played a HUGE role in my life. Whenever I need a little wisdom or help putting things in perspective, I talk to Granny. 

She is someone that I have been able to tell anything to and I know without a shadow of a doubt that those conversations stayed between the two of us. She is a feisty lady. You shouldn't ask for her opinion on anything unless you're prepared to hear the truth! I take after her in that department and several more. 

She made sure my rear was in church every time the doors were open. She taught me to cook and to be resourceful. And boy, is she tough. A real mountain woman for sure. Up until the past few years she could work circles around me. That toughness may play a part in her not being an overly emotional person. I had never seen her cry until my mom died. I believe that was the most she had ever hurt. She didn't cry because of her pain but because of ours. Despite her toughness, I never, not even once, doubted that she loved me or the rest of us. 

Our family got some earth shaking news this past fall. Granny had been having some issues with arthritis but she started feeling poorly beyond just that. A doctors visit revealed liver cancer. I believe we took the news much harder than she did. She told them that she didn't want to go through treatments. I thought I knew how tough she was but I hadn't seen even a glimpse of how strong she really is. She doesn't complain. She has a great attitude. She  is an amazing woman. 

I wanted a picture of me holding my Granny Janice's hand. I'm so thankful she was with us for another Christmas & that I could take one. With this sweet hand my Granny has wiped a lot of tears & noses, worked hard to provide for her family, cooked the best foods that I've ever eaten, played some of the most beautiful music on the piano that I've ever heard, and been there to pull me up whenever I've been knocked down. She has been much more than my Granny...she has been my mom too. 

I'm sure that many of you wonderful memories of times spent with your grandma, grandpa, or both. I treasure each and every moment that I spent with mine. I welcome you to share any of your favorite "Granny Memories" with me. Just leave them in the comment section below. 

Please pass the Chicken n' Dumplins...

I spent a lot of time with my Pa & Granny Holloway (paternal grandparents) as I was growing up and lived with them after my mom died, a couple of months before I turned 15, until I got married. My Granny Janice taught me how to cook & I couldn't have asked for a better southern teacher. That woman can cook and if you ever leave her house hungry, it's your own dadburned fault!

One of my favorite things she taught me to cook is chicken and dumplings (we say chicken n' dumplins). I can't think of a more perfect, southern comfort food.

I now know that chicken n' dumplins isn't something that photographs well 

but I never claimed to be a food photographer! 

"Chicken and dumplings is one of the primary main dishes of the Appalachian kitchen, and most regional cookbooks contain recipes for it. Until the 1950s, rural families commonly killed, cleaned, and dressed their own chickens and cooked them on wood-burning stoves in cast-iron cookware.

For chicken and dumplings, the bird is stewed, cooled, deboned, and returned to the broth. While the chicken and broth simmer, the dumplings, colloquially known as dough balls, slipperies, or slickums, are prepared. Neither a biscuit nor a bread, dumplings are pieces of dough made with a base of flour or cornmeal mixed with varying amounts of milk, baking powder, and shortening. The most common dumplings eaten with chicken in the manner are drop, or slick dumplings, dropped by the spoonful into the broth and cooked until they are light, tender, and biscuitlike. Some Appalachian cooks add butter and chopped giblets as well as boiled eggs to the mixture; others add one or more additional ingredients such as sherry, lemon peel, parsley, or pepper." Encyclopedia of Appalachia

About a year ago, I posted a question on Facebook asking my friends and family if they rolled or dropped their dumplings. The majority drop, as do I. The only time that I remember having any that were rolled was at a Cracker Barrel while I was in college & in desperate need of some home cooking. I've seen some Pinterest recipes calling for canned biscuits *gasp*.  I can see how that would be a bit of a time saver but it just seems so wrong! Trust me, take the extra 3 minutes and mix up a little flour, shortening and milk. Your belly will thank you.

My Granny Janice has been ailing as of late (she just turned 79) and we've all been taking turns making some meals for her to warm up. I decided to make her a few plates of chicken n' dumplins, green beans & honey glazed carrots (I used some of my father in-law's sourwood honey...have mercy!). My uncle happened to be up there when I called to tell her I was on my way so I fixed an extra one for him. He told me that my chicken n' dumplins were as good as Granny's. I couldn't have asked for a better compliment.

How do y'all make your dumplins? Dropped or rolled? Let me know in the comments!