Chicken 'n Dumplins; A Guaranteed Hit

The leaves are changing. The air is a bit crisper. The days are getting shorter. Fall is here. That means weekly menus for the family will be changing too. There aren't many more nights left to grill out or eat a nice salad for dinner. It's time to seek out those healthy, hearty meals that leave us warm and satisfied.

Because I'm a southerner, I tend to fall back on those old stand-bys when it comes to food. My favorite meal for fall is Chicken 'n Dumplins. I've never had a recipe, per se, for this, but I've learned by watching my dad cook, then I improved on his techniques. So, I'll share with you what I've learned.

Ingredients for Soup:
Whole Fryer Chicken
Celery (2-3 stalks, chopped)
Carrots (4 chopped)
1 small Onion (chopped)
1/4 c. butter
Cumin
Thyme
Salt
Pepper
Celery Seed
Garlic
Water

Ingredients for Dumplins:
1 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3 tbsp. shortening
1/2 c. milk

Directions: Place the whole chicken in a large stock pot and cover with water. Add cumin, thyme, salt, pepper, celery seed, and garlic to suite your taste. Bring to a boil and cook until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Remove chicken from broth and de-bone the chicken. Return the meat to the stock that you made. Add celery, carrots and onion. Simmer until vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, make the batter for your dumplins. Measure and combine dry ingredients in mixing bowl. Cut shortening into flour. Add milk and mix into a soft dough. Spoon dough by rounded tablespoon into boiling chicken broth. Put lid on pot. Boil on medium low for 12 minutes. DO NOT TAKE LID OFF while cooking.

Serve immediately, preferably with a tall glass of sweet tea.