Let the season begin! (And I'm only MENTIONING football!)

Well how about that! We are in October already, and I am absolutely ecstatic! This is where my TRUE colors shine, in you guessed it! Comfort foods! It's no surprise why the majority of us gain what's called "holiday weight" with all the delicious creamy soups, breads, appetizers, and feasts that go around from family, and friends. (As you can see what goes around DOES come around!)

Last night, my 2 sons and fiancee were all nestled in the living room, watching movies and playing games leaving me with the perfect opportunity, to make quite possibly the first comfort dish invented. The fabulous and easy to make chicken and dumplings. You can use canned biscuits for your dumplings, or make them homemade. I have never been that great with dumplings from scratch, so I always opt for the canned biscuits. I promise you with this, you'll have little to no leftovers!

1 whole chicken
1 Family size can (28 oz) cream of chicken soup
1 white onion (trust me don't use red, or yellow)
2 boullion cubes
2 cloves garlic (or 1/2 tbsp minced)
1/4 - 1/2 cup potato flakes (Idahoan works great!)
1/4c butter (never said it was low calorie, but you can omit it if you want, it does make it richer)
2 large carrots cut into coins
3 stalks celery chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 can of GRANDS biscuits cut into quarter pieces

In a large stock pot, fill with enough water to thoroughly cover the chicken, add salt, pepper, garlic, butter, onion and boullion to the water, boil the chicken until it falls off the bone (approx 45 minutes) CAREFULLY pull chicken out of the stock, de-bone and place meat back into stock. Add soup, celery, carrots, and potato flakes (I recommend stirring in the potato flakes to prevent clumping) until desired consistency achieved, (I like nectar thick) boil until carrots are soft, then add the biscuit dough 1 by one to prevent sticking together (if they do that's ok, keep stirring) boil for approximately 10-15 minutes. Serve in deep dishes, or bowls

Yield 8 servings