Eliora's Broccoli Soup With Dumplings

 This is Eliora. She is 11 but she really acts like one of those goofy, fun, 20 year olds who just has it all put together. She is the oldest of 5 girls and she is a HUGE help to her mom. Tonight she asked if she could cook dinner. She also crochets headbands, writes, babysits, and well.....is more productive then most people I know.

She decided to make broccoli soup with dumplings. (My dumpling got mixed in but that is what is on the spoon) She got down all my cookbooks and started flipping through. She liked one of my broccoli soup recipes better but it had chicken. She is not a big meat fan (she declared herself a vegetarian at 4 years old) so she found another broccoli soup recipe and modified the two. Then she found a dumpling recipe and decided to add that so the little girls wouldn't still be hungry later. She showed what she had in mind to me and I took her shopping. I waited by the oranges while she grabbed her broccoli and onions (the only things I didn't have at home). She then decided to grab a bag of frozen seasoned red potato wedges to throw in the oven while cooking. Then she cooked, all by herself. I'm serious, I didn't help her once. I did answer a few questions and explain a few techniques but I never lifted a finger. The soup was gone. It was SOOOOO good.

Yes, she is that awesome. No, it is not my parenting. She was born that way. :)

Eliora's Broccoli Soup with Dumplings (taken from 3 old church recipes)

6 c. fresh broccoli, finely chopped
1 c. onion minced
1/8 tsp garlic powder
4 1/2 c chicken broth
3 bay leaves
1/8 tsp nutmeg
6T butter
1/8 tsp pepper
3 c milk
6T flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 c. medium cheddar cheese shredded

In a large pot combine broccoli, onion, garlic powder, chichen broth, bay leaves, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil. While it is boiling......

Make the Dumplings
2 c milk
1 cube butter
7 eggs
2 c flour
2 tsp salt

Scald milk, add salt and butter. Bring to a boil, add flour, beat until it forms a ball (do while still hot). Begg eggs into mixture one at a time (Eliora used a hand mixer). Set aside for a minute while returning to soup.

Back to Soup!

Remove bay leaves. Drop the Dumpling a large spoonful at a time into the boiling soup. She used only about 3/4 of the dumpling dough because of room. Cover the soup and simmer for 20 minutes. While waiting get out a pot. Add melt butter (from soup ingredients), stir in flour until thick and bubbly. Add milk and whisk until smooth.. Add salt and pepper. Add cheddar cheese. Turn off heat and clean up a little while waiting for timer to go off. (This is also when she got her sisters to set the table). Once the timer beeps remove lid from pot. Check on dumplings. If they taste fantastic then gently scoop them out and onto a plate. Add milk mixture to soup. Stir in well, put dumplings back in and serve!