***Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings***

Favorite Comfort Food! - This is the most wonderful of comfort foods. Something about Chicken and Dumplings makes you feel warm and fuzzy all over. This family recipe has given much joy. I always make a double batch and package some in single servings to put in the freezer for when someone is under the weather.

Makes 6-8 servings

One 5-6 lb stewing hen (Rotisserie chicken can be
substituted – you will need to substitute 1 qt chicken
broth and 1 qt water if you use Rotisserie chicken
because the liquid will not be flavored by stewing the
chicken)
1 tsp The Bean and The Leaf’s Pennsylvania Pepper
1 Tbls The Bean and The Leaf’s Herbs De Provence
2 quarts water – approximately (remember to substitute
half of this with Chicken Broth if using rotisserie chicken)
2 – 10 ¾ oz cans cream of chicken soup
2 medium onions very coarsely chopped
4 medium celery ribs, cut into 1 inch lengths
3 medium carrots cut into ½ inch thick rounds

Dumplings

2 cups self-rising flour (If you don’t have self-rising flour
use 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 ½ tsps baking powder
and ½ tsp salt.)
½ tsp salt ( this is on top of the salt you use if you don't
have self rising flour)
½ cup milk

Rinse the hen, inside and out, with cold running water. Season the hen, inside and out, with herbs and spices if using a whole chicken.

In a large pot, mix 2 quarts water, the soup, onions, celery and carrots. Place the hen in the pot breast side down, adding more water to barely cover the hen, as needed. Bring to boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, turning the hen occasionally, until very tender, 2 ½ to 3 hours. Lift the hen from the pot and transfer to a platter. Keep the cooking liquid at a low simmer. Skim the clear yellow fat from the surface of the broth. Reserve ½ cup of the fat and discard the rest. Let the chicken and reserved fat cool until the chicken is easy to handle, 20-30 minutes. Remove and discard the skin ad bones, cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and return the meat to the pot.

(If you are substituting with Rotisserie chicken put the water/broth mixture into your pot along with the herbs and spices, vegetables and soup and simmer until vegetables have softened.)

To make the dumplings, mix the flour and salt in a medium bowl. In a small bowl mix the milk and reserved fat. (If you used Rotisserie chicken you will not have reserved fat so substitute with shortening or butter.) Stir the liquid mixture into the flour to form a stiff dough. Knead in the bowl to gather up the dough and pat or roll out into a 7 inch square about ½ inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut into approximately 20 dumplings. Transfer the dumplings to a baking sheet or piece of wax paper.

Season the cooking liquid with salt and pepper to taste. One at a time, drop the dumplings into the simmering liquid. Cover tightly and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through. Approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

Spoon into a bowl and serve hot.