Turkey and Dumplings

This is complete comfort food in a bowl! This was one of the dishes I created with some leftover turkey after we roasted a whole one to enjoy and had a fair amount of leftover meat. Turkey Enchiladas, a Cobb Salad, and these tasty dumplings were the leftover meals!

I can't remember the last time I made dumplings before this meal - it's been too long. There's something about a cozy bowl of gravy coated meat, vegetables, and tender dumplings that makes me want to sit in front of a fire place, tucked in with a warm blanket, and just take a nap!

This recipe is easy to mix and match filling ingredients - use chicken, frozen vegetables, or mix and match your fresh veggies to use up what you have on hand. We had green beans that were on the cusp of thinking about going bad, so those were our top choice. Plus we've stayed well stocked in onions, carrots, and celery around here - so those made a terrific base. Mushrooms would be lovely in this as well.

If you have chicken stock in your pantry or freezer, of course feel free to use that instead. We happen to have a fair amount of turkey stock in the freezer since I make it every time we roast up a whole turkey and then freeze it. Though after the past couple months of being home, I think I may have actually gone through my stash!

Turkey and Dumplings adapted from King Arthur's Flour

Dumplings
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 TBS dried parsley
1/2 TBS dried rosemary, crushed
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 large egg

Pot Pie Filling
6 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups turkey stock, or a combination of stock and leftover gravy
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced small
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
~ 2 cups of fresh green beans, trimmed and steamed to crisp tender

Directions

1. Prep the dumplings by combing the dry ingredients in a medium bowl: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and dried herbs. Use a pastry cutter to blend in the chilled butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Do not yet add the liquid ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet with about 1 TBS of olive oil, when hot add in the carrots, onion, and celery and saute until they get a little color on and begin to soften (about 8-10 minutes). Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside. 
3. Meanwhile, prepare the gravy. Melt the butter in a large dutch oven and whisk in the flour until blended. Allow flour mixture to cook for a minute. Slowly pour in the turkey stock and whisk to blend until the mixtures have combined into a smooth gravy. Bring to a simmer and allow to thicken.