Grandma's Chicken and Dumplings

This is the soup my mother used to fix quite often for our meals. It is comfort food and a very healthy choice to make and eat for supper. Her vegetables all came from her garden, and the chickens came from near-by farms. It was so delicious. This recipe came from her mother, who had a huge family to feed and very little money.

Ingredients

1 chicken whole or cut up (about 3 lbs.) 1 onion, chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 or 2 sweet peppers, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
8 c. chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf

Dumplings

1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. shortening or 4 Tbs. butter, melted
3/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp salt

Directions

In a large heavy bottomed pot, combine chicken, onion, carrots, celery, sweet peppers and garlic. 

Pour in the chicken broth. Over medium high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover the pot with a lid and cook 45 to 60 minutes.  Cook until chicken is tender and cooked. This can take about 20 to 25 minutes.

Turn off the heat and allow the soup to cool until the chicken is safe enough to handle, so you don't burn yourself.  Take the chicken out of the broth. Remove the chicken bones and skin. Cut the chicken meat into small pieces. 

Skim the excess grease or fat from the top of the cooled soup broth. Return the chicken to the broth. 

Turn the heat back on under the chicken. As the broth comes to a boil, it is time to make the dumplings. When the soup boils, turn the heat down and let the soup simmer. Taste the soup and add more salt or pepper to taste.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the shortening in the flour mixture if you are using shortening. If you are using the melted butter, make a well in the flour mixture and pour in the milk and butter. Using a wooden spoon, mix the ingredients together to make a dough. If the dough is too dry, add a little more milk. If it is too wet, add a little more flour. 

Drop tablespoonfuls of the dumpling mixture on top of the simmering soup.  Do not pile the dumplings on top of each other.  Just place them all over the top of the soup. 

Place a tight-fitting lid on the pot.  Turn the heat down low to keep the soup at a low simmer. Cook for 15 to 18 minutes, or until dumplings are done.  To test dumplings, stick a toothpick in the center of the dumplings. If it comes out clean, the dumplings are done.