Cracker Ball Or Butterball Dumplings Recipes

BETTER THAN CRACKER BARREL® CHICKEN 'N DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Place chicken and 1 pinch salt in a large pot; cover with water. Bring to a boil, skimming any scum off the surface with a slotted spoon. Add lemon, celery, onion, and carrots. Simmer broth over medium heat until chicken starts to fall off the bone, about 1 hour.
• Discard lemon. Remove chicken from the pot; let cool.
• Place flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Ladle in 2 to 3 scoops of hot broth. Mix in flour with a spoon until dough comes together into a ball.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead carefully until smooth. Roll out into a large rectangle; cut into small rectangular dumplings.
• Drop dumplings one at a time into the simmering broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 30 minutes.
• Bone chicken and chop into pieces. Add to the pot; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

CRACKER BALL OR BUTTERBALL DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• In a small bowl beat the egg, stir in the melted butter.
• Add all remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Shape into walnut size round balls.
• Allow to stand 40 minutes, to swell.
• Drop into simmering chicken soup broth.
• Cook covered at least ten minutes.
• Do not lift the lid.
• Serve, broth and three cracker balls in each bowl.
• Serve immediately.

CLEAR CHICKEN SOUP WITH CRACKERBALL DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat egg lightly. Stir in the melted butter.
• Mix in the remaining ingredients except the stock. Shape into walnut sized balls.
• Allow to stand 30 minutes to swell.
• Bring the stock to a simmer in a large saucepan. Drop the balls into the broth and cook over medium-low heat, covered, for 10 minutes. Don't peek.
• Ladle the soup into bowls, allowing 2-3 crackerballs per serving.
• Sprinkle thyme over the top of the soup.

CHICKEN AND CRACKER DUMPLINGS (CZECH)

Steps:

• Brown chicken parts in small amount of butter or oil in deep skillet.
• Add sliced celery, carrot and onion. Pour chicken broth over to barely cover chicken pieces.
• Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through (about 35 to 45 minutes).
• While chicken is cooking, make dumplings (see instructions below).
• Remove chicken when cooked and tent with foil.
• Pour off broth and vegetables from skillet into blender or food processor, pulse until smooth.
• Return broth to skillet. Add parsley, mace, and evaporated milk. Bring to boil.
• Add dumplings and cook for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Taste broth and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• HINT: if you would like your sauce a bit thicker, finely crush 5-6 saltine crackers and stir into the broth.
• Add chicken back in to warm through. Cover and keep warm until serving.
• DUMPLINGS:.
• To make in food processor:.
• Whisk together melted 1 tablespoons butter, 3 eggs and 1/4 Cup milk.
• Using the dough blade for your food processor, finely chop crackers with the parsley and garlic powder in processor.
• Add liquid to crackers with processor running until all ingredients come together in a dough like mixture (don't overprocess, just process until it comes together).
• Form into small balls about size of unshelled walnuts, add to broth as directed above.
• To make W/O food processor:.
• Finely crush crackers with rolling pin, add to bowl with garlic powder and finely chopped parsley.
• Whisk together melted butter, eggs and milk.
• Add to crackers, mix well, and form into balls about size of unshelled walnuts. Add to broth as directed above.