Kratoska dumplings

This is not a recipe I recommend you just try....you might want to have some experience with dense potato balls, a.ka. potatos dumplings.  My cousin Zach and his college football buddies call them "sinkers" because they are so dense that they tend to just sit in your stomach after consumption until your body figures out how to digest them.  I hated them when I was a kid, and to be honest, I dont love them by themselves as an adult.  I do have a soft spot for them with leftover Thanksgiving food....as in when I mix all my favorites together in a mash up bowl of corn, turkey, mashe potatoes, scalloped oysters, dumplings, and then cover it with grazy.....I don't even really like Thanksgiving dinner, I like leftovers. 

Anyway, these are a Kratoska tradition every Turkey Day.  It's not really Thanksgiving if these aren't on the table.  My brother has been overseas the last few years so it's up to me to help Dad get these done.  Its sort of a process, you see....

A few years ago, Mom sent around a blank recipe book to all the family members to fill out so I would always have the family favorites in each person's handwriting....it's one of my favorite possessions and I can't explain how cool it is to see my Grandmother's handwriting of her favorite recipes since she has passed away.  Great gift idea in case you're looking for one for your children someday.  Anyway, the dumplings recipe was written by Big Dan and I will copy it here exactly as he wrote it.  Enjoy  :)

6-10 potatoes (depending on the number of dumplings desired)

1-2 eggs

white flour

salt and pepper

turkey gravy

Peel potatoes.  Boil, then mash thouroughly (remember, no lumps).  Add eggs and mix.  Justin got the job of mixing this year. Put into fridge overnight.  

Next morning-lay out wax paper (messy), pile of white flour, pile of cold mashed potatoes.  Knead flour into mashed potatoes until it is the consistency of bread dough but dry. Break up into balls about the size of a small snow ball.

Boil in water until they float.  Then pour off water leaving residue in pan.  Replace with turkey gravy and boil again.  Must stir so dumplings on bottom don't burn.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Turkey gravy: Pour off drippings from turkey and add water for volume.  Can add bouillion cubes for taste.  Heat to a boil.  Pour in a cup of cold skim milk with two table spoons of corn starch shaken well.  Stir until thickens (add additional milk and corn starch if fails to thicken). Mix with potatoe dumplingss.  The gravy will make or break the dumplings!!!  A little bland but will grow on you.  Wonderful! Wonderful!

And this was my dad's Thanksgiving plate....dumplings and turkey neck.  The man's got taste....