Chicken 'N Dumplings - Old Style - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 lbs stewing chicken, water to cover
1 medium onion, sliced
2 stalks celery & leaves, sliced
1 bay leaf
6 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Dumplings
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk

Preparation

Cut chicken into serving pieces and place in a large pot.
Cover chicken with water.
Add the onion, celery and bay leaf.
Cover and simmer for 3 hours or until tender.
Remove chicken.
Strain and measure broth.
There should be approximately 4 cups of broth.
If there is more, reduce by boiling; if less, add water.
Mix flour with a little cold water to form a smooth paste.
Stir into broth and heat until thickened.
Add cream, salt, sage, thyme and pepper.
Remove the chicken from bones and return meat to gravy.
Prepare dumplings and drop by spoonfuls into hot gravy.
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes with out removing lid.
Serve chicken surrounded by dumplings on a large, deep platter.
Dumplings: Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
Mix egg and milk and stir into the dry ingredients.
Drop into hot gravy and simmer covered for 20 minutes.
Serve with hearty root veggies on the side.