Chicken Pudding - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (5 lb) whole chickens
4 carrots
4 stalks celery
1 large onion, quartered
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
6 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granule
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 cup shortening
2 cups self-rising flour
3/4 cup milk
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup coarsely crushed saltine crackers (about 24 crackers)
1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine, melted

Preparation

Combine first 6 ingredients and water to cover in a large Dutch oven.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until tender.
Remove chicken and cool.
Pour 6 cups broth through a wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding solids.
Reserve remaining broth for later use.
Whisk 6 tablespoons butter, bouillon granules, and poultry seasoning into strained broth until smooth.
Set aside to cool.
Cut shortening into flour with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly.
Add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Spread dough to a 1/2-inch thickness on a lightly greased baking sheet, forming 1 large hoecake (I call it a\"biscuit\").
Bake at 400\u00b0 for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool on wire rack; break into pieces.
Skin, bone, and coarsely chop chicken.
Layer chicken and hoecake pieces in a lightly greased 13-x 9-inch baking dish.
Whisk together chicken broth mixture and eggs; pour evenly over chicken and hoecake pieces.
Stir together cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon melted butter; sprinkle evenly over top of chicken mixture.
Bake at 375\u00b0 for 30 minutes or until golden brown and set.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving.