1 large whole chicken ("roaster")
1 large onion, large dice
5 ribs celery, sliced
5 carrots, peeling and cut into coins
1 can green peas, or use equivalent frozen peas
5 bay leaves
salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

On the day or evening before serving the dish, place chicken in the large pot in which you plan to cook the dish (10 to 12-quart is best). Liberally sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder over the chicken turning to coat completely. Leave the neck in the pan and giblets inside the chicken.

Bake chicken at 375°F for about 2 hours or until browned, starting with breast down, turning chicken after an hour to brown the breast (make sure it is nice and golden. Don't worry about the chicken sticking to the bottom or very brown parts in the pan, it will all soak off after water is added).

After baking, fill the pot to cover the chicken with warm water. Add bay leaves to the pot; add more seasoning if needed. Bring chicken to boil and slowly stew for 1 hour. Remove chicken from the pot, allow to cool enough to handle, remove chicken from the bone, remove all floating fat, bay leaves, etc from the pot with strainer. Add chicken back to pot. Chill broth and chicken overnight.

Next day, remove 1 cup cold broth from pot. Skim fat off top if desired (it really adds to the flavor if left, or can use for part of the fat in the dumplings). Add vegetables to pot and slowly bring to low boil. Add dumplings of choice (see below) and slowly simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Check for seasoning and serve in bowls. Comfort food at it's finest!

FLUFFY DUMPLING 1:

3 cups Bisquick baking mix*
enough milk to make a stiff dough

Slowly mix milk into Bisquick until stiff dough. Do not over mix or the dumplings will be tough. Drop by tablespoons into simmering broth.

NOODLE-TYPE DUMPLING 2:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter or part chicken fat
1 cup cold broth from the pot (you may not need all of this, dump unused back into the pot)

Mix dry ingredients together. Cut in butter until cornmeal appearance. Add broth slowly a little at a time until dough holds together. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Roll out dough 1/8-inches thick, using flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cut dough into strips or squares and drop into simmering broth.

Note: You also can use the chicken fat in place of butter... really good!

Submitted by: Sally Boyster