OLD FASHIONED CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Add the chicken to the stew pot.
• Add salt, onion, carrot, celery, and black pepper.
• Cover with cold water and bring to a low boil.
• Foam will form on the water as it begins to boil.
• Skim the foam from the water.
• Stew chicken until tender with the salt, onion, carrot and celery ribs, about 40 - 60 minutes after liquid gets to a low boil. Cooking time depends on the size of your chicken or hen.
• Remove the chicken from the broth and discard the vegetables.
• While the chicken cools, make the dumplings. Mix 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour.
• 1 teaspoon salt.
• 1/3 cup shortening.
• 5-7 tablespoons cold water.
• Work the dough and roll out on a floured surface.
• Roll out the dough very thin about ⅛".
• Cut into 1″ wide strips and let dry for about 30 minutes.
• remove chicken from the bones.
• Cut or pull the chicken into desired-size pieces.
• Add pepper and butter to broth and heat to simmering. Broth should look peppery and taste great.
• Add 1 can evaporated milk to broth.
• Before adding your dumplings to the milk broth, add a touch of grated nutmeg to the broth.
• Add the chicken pieces and heat. (Broth needs to be several inches above the chicken for the dumplings to have enough room to cook.).
• Add the dumplings to the low boiling broth a few at a time to keep the broth at a boil.
• Cook 10 minutes in the low boiling broth. (If you boil your broth too high, your dumplings will disappear or clump together.).
• Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes and serve.