Cooking with Barbara
Mother's Famous Chicken & Dumplings Made Easy
By BARBARAWALKER-HUFF/DEBBIE WALKER
Hello Readers! Just a quick note to let you all know that Barbara is recuperating from surgery, and doing well. But in her absence as her daughter-inlaw I will write her column, but the recipes are all Barbara.

Every family has one. You know, there is the quiet one, the opinionated one and the justplain picky-eater one! Our family is not unlike any other. We have family gatherings during the holidays, birthdays, or just because. And because Mother is such a great cook, we all gather at her house. Sometimes it's roast with homemade vegetables, or a ham, or turkey with dressing. But what ever the dish may be, we all consume large plates and praise the cook. Us girls usually do the dishes, unless Mother's husband James stakes claim to the sink, then it is hard to remove him.

Our picky eater gets the royal treatment. Shelley is the youngest "tween" of the family, and since I can remember she has been a picky eater.

She is slim and trim and has aspirations of being a model. Mother's Chicken & Dumplings have long been a family favorite, even down to her making a pot and carrying it down to their birthdays and such. Shelley seems to always get the famous chicken and dumplings whenever we get together. Everyone groans and moans when they see the small pot reserved just for her. Life's unfair, unless you are the youngest granddaughter!

Here is the recipe for the Famous Chicken & Dumplings, remember to make a huge pot for everyone!
1-whole chicken cut or 4-5
chicken breasts, skin removed
4 Quarts water
1 large onion, chopped
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 carrots, sliced
1 potato if desired, cubed
1 large bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1-can chicken stock
1/2 cup corn starch
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 package Knorr Chicken flavoring
if desired
2-containers of Ready prepared
biscuits

Boil chicken in quart boiler, simmer, and remove grease from top if any (skim) . Reserve broth, and cut chicken from bones, or cube if you used boneless. Add chicken back into broth, broth may have reduced. Add remaining ingredients up to the cornstarch, heat to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer, cooking vegetables until tender.

Add 1/2 cup cornstarch with heavy cream, you can use milk if preferred. Blend until thick. Add to chicken stock. Heat until thick.

Open biscuits and roll out . Cut into slices and drop into mixture, cook until tender. You may prefer to make your own dumplings but this is easy and quick and tastes great. Reserve another can if you like a whole lot more dumplings.