Homeade Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken Stock:

1 whole chicken, cut up
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 bunch of celery, finely chopped
3 large carrots, finely chopped
5 chicken bouillon cubes
Salt & Pepper

Put all ingredients in a large pot, cover with water. Cook on medium to low heat until chicken is done and falling off the bone, about 1 1/2 hours. Once chicken is done, take out and let it cool off. When chicken is cool, pull the meat off of the bone and put it back into the pot. Cover and simmer.

Dumplings:

1 1/2 C. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
3 Tbl. butter flavored shortening, soft
3/4 C. milk

Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the shortening. Mix the milk in just a little bit at a time, until a nice dough forms. Roll out dough on a floured surface, roll out nice and flat because they will puff up when cooking. Cut into squares. Bring the chicken stock back to a boil and drop in the dumplings one at a time, right into the boiling part. When all of the dumplings are in, cover and turn heat down to a medium/low heat. Cook for about 20 minutes. Be careful not to overcook or the dumplings will cook away to nothing. It is a tough line to walk, cook them long enough so that they are not doughy, but don't overcook them.
Enjoy.