Lucky Dumplings

Recently, I was invited to visit in the home of a new, lovely friend. A true homemaker, she made a wonderful lunch --- chicken and dumplings, green beans, cranberry fluffy-something divine, and even a coffee cake dessert! Have you ever? I mean who serves all of that for lunch?! That's a full on holiday dinner! And so, I stuffed myself right to the point of illness.

The rare and wonderful gift of hospitality must be properly appreciated, after all!

Of course, I've always been a chicken and dumpling fan. Who isn't? I've not made the real kind - the authentic mixemuprollemout kind. Biscuit dumplings, yes, ready-made mix dumplings and even tortilla dumplings, yes. But nothing can compare to the real thing - the kind my mother-in-law always made. The kind my friend made for lunch. Even knowing my culinary limitations, I still asked for the recipe. The result wasn't quite as wonderful as hers, but it was still really good!

And just in case you are longing for some dumplings to romp about in your own kitchen, here's the recipe she gave to me. She warned me though, "It took me a few times to get this right..."

I must've gotten lucky.

That means you might, too.

DUMPLINGS DIVINE

(recipe conversation style)

Boil a whole fryer chicken. When it's cooked thoroughly, remove chicken, shred pieces to return later, and reserve the broth. (OR --- use about 6 cups of canned broth)

Bring the broth to boil in a larger pan on stove top. While heating, mix the dumpling dough.

Cut 1 tablespoon of shortening into a mix of 1 c. flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Into that crumbly mixture stir an egg and 1/3 c. of the warm broth. The dough will be sticky! Sprinkle the dough, board, pin and hands with flour. Roll and cut.

Drop by twos or threes into the boiling broth, stirring after every few additions.

Simmer 20 minutes. Thicken to preference with corn starch.

Return the chicken pieces to the dumplings and broth.