Dumplings and soup

Hi. Did you watch Top Chef tonight? Yes? Good, don't tell me who wins. I was busy watching Lost (which I continue to watch even though it's so frustrating) and I didn't remember it was on until it was too late. 

The good news is that I decided to make some dumplings for soup, ones that are easy, and can be whipped up two minutes before you decide you want to put them in the soup you are making. Of course, I will give you a soup recipe, but you can use your own. These dumplings are like matzo balls, the heavy kind, which I love. I suppose you could lighten them by beating the egg whites until stiff and folding them in, but that's time consuming. 

Dumplings and soup

Dumplings first

2 eggs

big pinch of salt

a good bit of pepper

3/4 t garlic powder

3/4 t dried dill (or fresh)

1 T olive oil (or melted butter)

1/3 c flour mix

2 heaping T instant potatoes (I love these, gross I know)

Beat the eggs, then whisk in the salt, pepper, garlic powder, dill, and olive oil. Fold in the flour and potatoes and stir to combine. Drop by small teaspoonfuls (the smaller the better) into boiling water or soup. Cook about 5 minutes, until the dumplings float to the top. Taste one to see if it's done. 

Soup

1 T olive oil or butter

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, cut into slices

2 ribs celery, sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

a handful of mushrooms, sliced

a handful of frozen corn

salt and pepper

1 t dried thyme

1-3 t dried dill (I love dill)

4 c chicken stock

1 c water

1/2 c rice or quinoa

a handful of chopped spinach 

Heat olive oil in a small soup pot. Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook a few minutes until starting to soften. Add mushrooms and corn and cook another minute or two. Add salt and pepper, thyme and dill, stir, then add chicken stock. Add the rice or quinoa. Cover and let simmer 15-20 minutes, then cook dumplings in the soup. Stir in the spinach right before serving.