Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

2.5 – 3lbs of chicken
2 celery stalks
2 medium carrots
8 cups water
2.5 tsp salt
.5 tsp black pepper
2 cups flour
.5 tsp baking soda
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. Place chicken, celery, and carrots in a Dutch oven; add water and 2 teaspoons of the salt.  Bring to boil over high; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until tender, about 1 hour.  Remove chicken from broth, and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes.  Remove and discard skin and bone from chicken, and cut meat into bite-size pieces.  Bring broth to boil over high; stir in pepper.
2. Meanwhile, combine flour, baking soda, and remaining .5 tsp of salt in a large bowl; cut in shortening with a pastry blender (or use your fingers) until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Add buttermilk, stirring with fork until dry ingredients are moistened.  Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead lightly 4-5 times.
3. Pat dough to .5″ thickness.  Pinch off dough in 1.5″ pieces, and drop into boiling broth. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until desired consistency is reached, about 8-10 minutes.  Stir in chicken.  Garnish servings with green onions.

Yield: 6 servings

Source – Southern Living magazine