Chicken and dumplings
3 to 3½ lb. chicken
6 cups water
2 carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 stalks celery
2 cups peas
1 cup potato, cubed
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1-2 fresh bay leaves
Chop celery and reserve leaves. Cut up chicken, making sure to break bones. Place chicken into Dutch oven, add garlic, celery leaves, water, salt, pepper and bay leaves.
Heat to a boil, then simmer for one hour. Remove chicken to a bowl and strain broth.
When meat has cooled, separate it from bones and skin. Add meat and vegetables and to broth. Simmer until carrots are tender, about 35 minutes.
Add milk and re-season to taste.
Drop dumplings into broth, add flour and simmer another 10-15 minutes, until dumplings are ready and broth thickens.
Dumplings:
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1½ tbs. butter
3/4 cup buttermilk
Mix flour, baking soda and salt. Cut butter into flour. Add buttermilk and mix. Knead lightly four or five times. Pat out onto a flour surface and cut into 1 tablespoon-sized dumplings.
Recipe from TomLibous.com
