Chicken & Dumplings

• 2 tbl butter
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 heaping tbl flour
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1-2 tsp chicken bouillon
• 1 cup broccoli florets, optional
• 2/3 cup bisquick baking mix
• 3 tbl milk
• 2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite size pieces

Soup:

In dutch oven melt butter, add onion, celery and carrots. Stir and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add 2 heaping tablespoons of flour to onion mixture. Stir to incorporate flour and onion mixture, and cook for about 2 minutes to cook out flour taste. Slowly add chicken broth, (and chicken bouillon if using) stirring constantly. Add broccoli florets if using. Bring liquid to a boil. Meanwhile make your dumpling dough while soup is coming to a boil.

Dumplings: *** I double dumpling recipe

Mix according to directions on bisquick box: Stir 2/3 cup bisquick and 3 tablespoons milk in a bowl. ONLY MIX about 4 or 5 stirs, because you do not want to over mix the dough. Over mixing makes them tough. Drop by heaping teaspoons full (they will expand when cooking) onto boiling liquid. Cover immediately and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer covered for 15 minutes. (you are "steaming" the dumplings giving them a more fluffy texture.) Uncover and simmer another 5 minutes. Add cut up chicken. I add a few shakes of black pepper and dried parsley. Serve.

Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup butter, or margarine
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 -10 oz pkg frozen green peas
• 4 cups cubed cooked chicken

DUMPLINGS

• 2 cups bisquick mix
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 2/3 cup milk

In large saucepan, saute onion, celery and garlic in butter until tender. Add flour, sugar, salt, basil, pepper and broth; bring to a boil. Cook and stir 1 minute; reduce heat. Add peas and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken. Pour into a greased 13x9 inch baking dish. For dumplings, combine bisquick mix and basil in a bowl. Stir in milk with a fork until moistened. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto casserole. (12 dumplings) Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes. Cover and bake 10 minutes more, or until dumplings are done. 6-8 servings.