Chicken and Dumpling Soup
3 1/2 to 4 lbs. raw chicen (you can use any chicken parts, legs, back, thighs, or a whole chicken).
3 carrots chopped
1 sm. onion
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 cup celery (optional)
1 bay leaf (optional)
Boil all ingredients until the chicken falls off the bone. Remove the chicken from the broth and remove the skin and bones,
discard them. Return the chicken meat to the broth and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat but let it maintain a soft boil.
To make the dumplings combine in a medium size bowl; 1 cup flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, and 1/2 tsp. salt. With a fork cut
in 2 tbsp. shortening or margarine. Mix until it gets crumbly then add 1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk. (To sour milk add
1 tsp. lemon juice or vinegar to the milk.) Mix the milk in just long enough to moisten all the dry ingredients. Drop by the
tablespoonful into the simmering broth then cover and let cook for 12 to 15 minutes without removing the cover. The dumplings
are done when a toothpick or knife inserted into the dumpling comes out clean.
If you'd rather use a pre make mix like bisquick follow their directions for mixing the dumplings. You can also add a pinch of
parsly to the dumplings, it adds color to them.