Mema's Chicken and Dumplings (sort of)

Mema makes the best chicken and dumplings, but every time I tried to make it, it didn't taste the same. I only have to add about 5 ingredients to get it to taste half as good as hers! If you use a chicken with the skin on and the bone it tastes a million times better - just be sure to skim some of the fat off the top. I love to serve this with a can of peas warmed separately and spooned on top.

(The ingredients in parenthesis are optional ingredients that I added)

The chicken part
Ingredients:
- 4 chicken boneless/skinless breasts - salt and pepper
- Carrots chopped - half a small bag
- Celery chopped – three ribs
- (1 medium white onion chopped)
- Chicken bouillon -2 cubes crushed - or 1 tablespoon chicken base
- (Kosher Salt – to taste)
- (Pepper – to taste)
- (1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
- (2 bay leaves)

In large pot, combine all above ingredients, add water until all ingredients are covered. Cook on stove top for about an hour. After one hour, pull out chicken and vegetables, discard bay leaves (if you used them) and put aside. Pull or cut chicken apart. Keep broth.

Prepare dumplings

The dumpling part
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
- 2 cups flour
- ¾ cups Crisco shortening
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt

Combine ¾ cup milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar, set aside.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, Crisco, baking soda and salt until crumbly. Add milk/vinegar and stir until mixture comes together. On a floured surface push out dough until about 1 inch thick.

Bring broth to boil. Pinch off dough and drop into boiling broth, add excess flour and stir together. Add chicken pieces and vegetables and stir. Cook for about 10-15 more minutes. (Optional – add white and black pepper to taste)