SANDY'S CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Place the chicken in a Dutch oven, and add the water, broth, carrot, onion, celery and salt.
• Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat. Simmer for 60 to 70 minutes, or until tender and chicken is done.
• Remove chicken and allow it to cool enough to handle.
• Remove the carrot, onion and celery pieces from the broth and discard.
• Reserve the broth.
• Bone the chicken, discarding all skin and bones, and cut meat into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
• THE DUMPLINGS:
• Combine the flour, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or two knives until mixture is consistency of coarse meal.
• Add the buttermilk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 or 5 times -- no more.
• FOR DROP DUMPLINGS:.
• Pat the dough down to a 1/4-inch thickness, and pinch off 1-1/2-inch pieces.
• FOR ROLLED DUMPLINGS:
• Roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness, and cut into 3" x 1" strips.
• Bring the chicken broth to a boil, and stir in the milk and pepper.
• Correct seasonings, if desired.
• Drop dumplings, one or two at a time, into the boiling broth and reduce heat to medium-low.
• Stir from time to time to make sure dumplings do not stick together.
• Cook dumplings 8 to 10 minutes. Add the boned chicken to the mixture and simmer until heated through.
• Remove from heat.
• Makes 4 to 6 servings.
• Notes: Dumpling dough is very similar to biscuit dough and, like biscuit dough, the less it is handled, the lighter and more tender the result.