Category: Soups, Stews, Chowders and Chili

Have you ever looked through your grandmother’s recipes? I think many of our grandmothers used recipe boxes rather than books. Most likely, you will find a collection of handwritten recipes along with newspaper and magazine clippings.

I cherish the old handwritten recipes from my mother and grandmothers. In today’s digital world, we could take a few tips from our ancestors. We need to print photos, and we need handwritten notes or things such as recipes. After all, it’s the little things that mean the most.

This Cheesy Catfish Chowder is a favorite around our house. Greg and I are both cheese lovers, so I add a generous portion of cheese. Any melting cheese will work well in this chowder. It’s easy and comes together fast, so it’s perfect for a weeknight dinner. Served with saltine crackers, it’s the perfect cold-weather meal!

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Cheesy Catfish Chowder

Course Soup

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 (14-ounce can) chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 2 medium potatoes cubed
• 3 cups milk
• 1/3 cup cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds catfish fillets cut into chunks (any flaky white fish will work)
• Cajun seasoning
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• sliced green onions optional
• fresh tomato chopped, optional
• crumbled bacon optional
• additional shredded cheddar cheese optional
• Saltine crackers if desired

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350℉.
• In a large Dutch oven melt butter over medium heat.
• Add onions and saute until tender.
• In the meantime, season fish with Cajun seasoning and placed on baking pan. Bake at 350 until fish can be easily flaked with a fork. Remove from oven and using the fork, break up the fish into bite size pieces, set aside.
• To the Dutch oven, add chicken broth, celery, carrots, and potatoes. Cook until vegetables are tender.
• In a small bowl whisk together the milk, cake flour, celery salt and white pepper. Mix into the broth mixture. Stir constantly until thickened.
• Add cheese to the soup mixture and stir until the cheese has completely melted.
• Add the fish, stirring to combine. Serve with crackers, if desired.
• Top with sliced crumbled bacon, green onion, chopped tomates and grated Cheddar cheese, if desired.

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope this finds you well after the holidays. My family had a wonderful holiday, and we did not gather in big crowds. However, a couple of us did end up with Covid after it was all said and done. I was one of them. I have no taste or smell, which is challenging when it comes to writing a food article. Today I am going to share an oldie but goodie with you. Chicken and Dumpling Stew is one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy it!

Nothing could be more comforting on a cold night than a bowl of warm stew, soup, or chowder. Well, that is my opinion, anyway. Greg does not share my sentiments. He is a meat and potatoes man and would be fine if he never had a bowl of warm comfort again. Are all men that way or just mine?

This Chicken and Dumpling Stew is fantastic. The dumplings are drop dumplings, not my favorite in a big pot of chicken and dumpling, but they work perfectly in this stew. They double in size when cooked, so keep that in mind when you are dropping them in. I drop mine in just a little larger than a pinch.

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Chicken and Dumpling Stew

Course Soup

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken with bone
• 8 cups water
• 2 ribs celery chopped
• 2 carrots chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 10 ounce bag frozen green peas
• 10 ounce jar sliced mushrooms drained
• 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 cup half and half
• Dumplings:
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup finely minced fresh parsley

Instructions

• Place chicken in a large Dutch oven. Add water and cook until done. Remove to a plate to cool when done. Reserve water that the chicken cooked in.
• Add celery, carrots, onions, salt, white pepper, peas, mushrooms and thyme to reserved chicken broth. Cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender.
• Remove thyme stems and add half and half. Lower the temperature to a simmer.
• Pick chicken from the bones and add to the vegetable mixture.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter until mixture is the size of peas. Stir in milk and parsley. Drop dough into simmering stew.
• Cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until dumplings are tender.