JANE'S CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS 

Approximately 5 lbs. stewing chicken 

About 1 tsp. salt 

Rinse chicken in water.  Remove giblets.  Fill a 4-qt. pot half full of water and add the salt. Cook chicken on medium heat until "fork" done, approximately 2 hours.  As the chicken begins to cook, skim off excess foam from the liquid.   

Dumpling Mix

4 cups self-rising flour

½ cup Crisco 

1 cup (approx.) cold water 

Salt, pepper, as desired 

Work Crisco into flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add cold water a little at a time and blend with a fork. When this is all mixed, empty dough out on a floured surface and knead until it's firm, for firm dumplings. 

When chicken is done, remove from pot and debone.

Stir Cream of Chicken soup into the pot of broth until soup is dissolved.  Let broth come to a slow boil.  Add salt and pepper. 

On a well-floured surface, roll out dough very thin.  Cut strips about 1 inch wide.  Break pieces off each strip and drop into boiling broth.  Turn down heat and cook slowly.  DO NOT STIR. Shake the pot gently with handle of pot, or gently lift dumplings with a fork to separate. 

When dumplings are done, (about 20 min.) put deboned chicken in pot and again shake gently to cover the chicken.