Get a Taste of West Virginia

Food Network star Paula Deen gives you a taste of West Virginia flavor. The state was the latest stop on "Good Morning America's" Whistle-Stop Tour, and Deen dropped by to whip up a few favorites from the Mountain State. Try them out for yourself by testing out the recipes below and check out the "GMA" recipe archive for more breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas.

Old-Fashioned Apple Raisin Dumplings

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1¼ hours. Makes 6 (dessert) servings.
For Filling

2 small tart apples such as Granny Smith (1/2 pound), peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
¼teaspoon cinnamon

For dough

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar plus ½ tablespoon for sprinkling
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
½ cup whole milk plus 1/2 tablespoon for brushing For syrup
1½ cups unfiltered apple cider
1 cup packed light brown sugar
Accompaniment: vanilla ice cream

Mehod

Make filling: Toss together all filling ingredients.

Make dough: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar into a bowl. Blend in butter and shortening with a pastry blender, or your fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ½ cup milk and stir with a fork just until mixture is moistened.

Turn out dough onto a floured work surface and gently knead 7 to 8 times, or until a soft dough forms (do not overwork dough, or dumplings will be tough).

Roll out dough on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a rough 16- by 11-inch rectangle (about 3/4 inch thick). Trim to a 15-by-10-inch rectangle. Halve dough lengthwise, then cut crosswise in thirds (to form 6 squares).

Fill dumplings: Divide filling among centers of squares.

Bring all 4 corners together over filling and pinch together to seal. Transfer dumplings to a well-buttered 13-by-9-by 2-inch ceramic or glass baking dish and arrange about 1 inch apart. Brush tops with remaining ½ tablespoon milk and sprinkle with remaining ½ tablespoon granulated sugar.

Make syrup and bake dumplings: Bring cider and brown sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour syrup around dumplings, then bake dumplings until golden brown and syrup is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.