Title: Chicken and dumplings, ala joann
 Categories: Chicken, Main dishes
      Yield: 6 Servings
 
      1    Chicken; whole, * see note
      1 md Onion; chopped
      3    Stalks celery; chopped
      5 c  Chicken broth
      2 tb Parsley; dried
      1 ts Tarragon
      3 md Potato; diced
      4    Carrot; diced
     10 oz Peas; frozen, optional
    3/4 c  Flour
  1 1/2 c  Water
           Salt and pepper; to taste
      4 dr Yellow food coloring;
           -optional

MMMMM-------------------------DUMPLINGS------------------------------
      2 c  Flour
    1/2 ts Baking powder
      3 md Eggs
      1 ts Salt
           Milk
 
  * An old stewing hen is preferred, but a fryer chicken is okay.
  
  Cut the chicken into large pieces. Put chicken (with the skin on),
  onion, celery, chicken broth, parsley and tarragon into a large stew
  pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is
  tender. (A stewing hen will take about 3 hours; a fryer about 45
  minutes) Remove chicken from pot and cool. Clean the chicken very
  carefully, removing the skin, loose fat and bones. Chop the chicken
  into bite size pieces. Defat the broth if desired. This can be
  accomplished by refrigerating it over night so the fat hardens on
  top. I use pieces of paper towel laid on top of the warm broth.
  Return the chicken to the pot and add the potatoes, carrots and peas.
  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix the flour with the water in
  a tightly covered jar. Thicken the broth with the flour mixture as it
  comes to a boil. Add the yellow food coloring, if desired. (I think
  it makes the stew more appealing) Simmer a few minutes. Bring it back
  to a boil and drop the dumpling batter by large spoonfuls on top of
  the boiling stew. Lower the heat to simmer. Cover the pot. Turn the
  dumplings as they cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
  
  DUMPLINGS: Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly. Add the slightly
  beaten eggs and enough milk to make a thick dough.