GREAT OLD FASHIONED CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• 1. Wash and place cut up chicken in a Dutch Oven with plenty of water to boil. Add salt to boiling chicken, to taste, can add more later if necessary. Add black pepper to taste, can add more later if necessary. Start chicken and water on high to a good rolling boil. Turn down to medium low after adding salt and black pepper. Be sure there is plenty of water in pot, this will be your broth. It should always cover chicken well. If necessary, add more Hot water. Put lid on pot and keep on medium low for the chicken to cook, checking level of water occasionally. When chicken is tender, check with fork, (add the 2 sticks of butter and turn pot off.) Let chicken and broth cool in pot with lid on.
• 2. When chicken and juice has cooled enough to pick chicken off bone, lift chicken from pot into a large bowl. Remove chicken from bone then add the meat back to pot and discard bones. Keep lid on pot, broth should be about 1/2 dutch oven full. Turn the burner down to simmer.
• 3. In a medium sized bowl add the flour and combine it with one teaspoon of salt. Have your floured surface ready and your rolling pin along with a glass of ice water. Begin adding ice water to flour and salt mixture slowly. When you can stir it stiffly, rake on to floured surface. Make sure you put flour on rolling pin. Press out dough to flatten as much as possible with your hands, sprinkle some more flour on dough. Begin rolling the dough with the rolling pin to about 1/8 inch thickness. It may take some elbow grease but it will be worth it. Using a sharp paring knife cut the dumplings into 1/2 inch strips. It's OK if they have some dusting of flour on them. The dumplings can remain on floured surface and cure or dry a little. You want them to be stiff.
• 4. Turn up chicken and broth to medium high and begin adding the dumplings. They should lift easily across your hand and hang down. Make sure chicken and broth are in a rolling boil before adding the dumplings. This is a slow process so don't rush, if it becomes necessary to turn the burner down, that's okay. You will add dumplings until most are in the pot. You want the broth to be thick enough but not too thick. Now turn pot down to low and cover with lid.
• 5. The dumplings will simmer on low until they begin to change and become somewhat translucent. Take out a few into a small bowl to cool and taste your salt and black pepper content to your liking. Turn off burner and leave lid on for several more minutes. Stir them and check for thickness of broth. It will become thicker as it cools.
• 6. You may have to practice a few times, I did. However, you will get it down pat and your chicken and dumplings will be in huge demand. My deceased mother in law taught me the Midas Touch with these dumplings and you can learn it too. If you haven't, please read my personal story about learning to make these dumplings. They are AWESOME !!!