Gypsies and Chicken Paprikas'

I am Hungarian and Polish. Ive always loved gypsies. I know they tend to have a negative connotation but Ive never seen them that way. They to me are a nomadic people who live close to the earth, rather like the american indians did. Many have a negative aspect of course, being seen as thieves and beggars and lazy. That may be true but I prefer to look at the positive side of things. In some ways they are lucky, to be free and wander. I believe thats a part of me, which is why Im drawn to alot of gypsy ways. My gramma had the sight, my mom does too at times. My dad even calls her a witch lol and I ask him Dad is that with a W or a B?

I seem to have inherited this. Many times I know whats going to happen. Im also an empath, I feel what others feel and hear their thoughts too. When my gramma died I felt her pain all nite. By morning around 11am it was gone. My mom called me and told me gramma had died at 10:30am. It can be very disturbing when someone tells you one thing and you hear the truth in their heads. Its hard to talk to them when you know they are lying to you. I cannot will it tho like some. It comes when it comes and Ive learned over the years to listen to that voice inside, its always right.

Its like my move here to CA. I knew I had to be here, felt it in my bones. I thought I would never leave but now the bones are telling me Oregon is where I must go. I knew it the first day I ever went there. I got out of the car along the freeway at a rest stop. The air was clean, misty and piney smelling and I felt I was home. Everything in my life is urging me to go there now, and I cant fight it. Its where I belong. Even the man Im with, while hes been in CA. a few yrs, he is from Oregon and wants to go back. I must listen to that gut feeling, whenever I dont things go wrong.

This was my mothers recipe for Chicken Paprikas'. Ive been making it for years. Everyone has a slightly different version, but this is ours.

CHICKEN PAPRIKAS

Crisco
1 lg. onion, chopped
1tb. paprika
1 chicken, cut into pieces
S & P- water
3 tb. flour
1 pt. sour cream
Dumplings:
3c. flour
3 eggs
1tsp salt
water
Put 1 lg. spoon of Crisco in a roasting pan you can use on the stove. (Moms directions say this, I use about a half stick of butter). Wash chicken parts and put in to brown a bit. Saute onion in it. Add paprika and stir. Lower heat and cook slowly for about an hr. Add water if juice cooks down. (I try to add chicken broth when I have it, makes for a richer sauce). Add S &P. For cream: Remove chicken to a platter for a moment. Make a paste of flour, sour cream and 1/2 of the container it was in filled with water. Whisk into juices in pan. Cook for about 5min. till thick. Add chicken and stir well to coat with sauce.

Dumplings:
Mix flour, eggs and salt together, add water and mix well, till smooth. It shouldnt be really thick like a dough. I have a dumpling maker and it should be loose enough to start to run thru its holes. If you make them by hand.... like gramma did she put some dough on a sm. cutting board and with a spoon slowly cut the dough with it letting each drop into boiling salted water below. They should be small dumplings (maybe half inch)so they dont take long to cook. Boil for about 15min. testing to see if cooked thru. Strain.

Serve on a plate topped by the chicken and its sauce. Serves 4-6.

I found this online today about Are you a Gypsy and thought you all might like it.......

Are You A Gypsy at Heart? Adapted from The Phoenix Cards, by Susan Sheppard (Inner Traditions, 1990).

Simple Solution Gypsies have an ancient and mysterious history, and are associated in stories and legends with divination skills and magical practices.
If you have always been fascinated by Gypsies, and are drawn to their symbols and mysteries, read a description of the qualities you may share with them, right here.

You may be a gypsy at heart!
If you are deeply drawn to Gypsy people, you are an exceptionally clever person. You have an intelligence that stems from your shrewd ability to observe and judge character in almost any given situation. There is a strange beauty about you. You love clothes with unusual patterns and stunning designs. You home is our castle, and you like to carry parts of it with you. What might look like a mess to others represents the many special things that you love to be surrounded by. You may even carry photographs or comforting items in a purse or bag to remind you of the things and people you adore.

You have an exquisitely sensual, tactile nature. It’s important that you are caressed or touched often. Without this affection, you may grow depressed or listless. A healthy debate allows you a chance to cleanse your soul of any negative emotions. Even the most heated discussions can make you feel much better. Once an argument is over, you carry no resentment or bad feelings for the other party unless, of course, your partner has resorted to “dirty” tactics. If so, you will never completely forgive it. If you decide to pardon your offender, your trust is lost. You cannot forget; that is just the Gypsy way!

It is difficult to keep secrets from you. If you suspect that someone is withholding knowledge from you, it will drive you crazy until you find out exactly what it is. You are precise, probing, and possessive. You have little respect for a hypocrite, or anyone who is “Holier than thou.” Sweet and endearing words cannot fool you, for you know the true nature of the people you are dealing with.

When it comes to your own life, you reveal very little. You are like a mysterious doorway that no key truly fits. You have any secret feelings and thoughts that you’ve revealed to no one. Some of these are wonderfully creative ideas that could make you a fortune one day. You are industrious, with wonderful potential. You are shrewd and crafty, but you may lack the confidence to develop your creative ideas and “flesh them out.”

You would make a very fine occultist if you developed your inborn psychic powers. You like to study varied forms of esoteric knowledge. It’s important that you concentrate on one special interest. You are versatile and receptive, but you need to be aware that maintaining too many interests can preclude your success on any one. You have special insight, and are something of an enigma. Reveal a few of your special secrets, especially to the people you want to grow closer to.