Mema's Chicken and Dumplings

I have been blogging for over a year and I think this is really the first truly Southern entry that I am posting. It is February in New England and I am officially "over" winter. Unfortunately, there is still at least two more months of winter weather and then a couple of months of cold and mud. All that being said, I have been thinking about warm and comfortable things. One thing that comes to mind is my Grandmother's chicken and dumplings.

I have had the recipe for a long time. My Mema, as I affectionately named her as a preschooler, actually told me the recipe and had me write it down. She lived next door to me and my brother and I would go visit and she would make it for us. I can still picture myself in her kitchen. Her kitchen was decorated with strawberries, even on the carpet. We would sit at the white wicker table and eat dumplings...mmmmm.

To make the chicken broth:

4 Chicken breasts and a few thigh pieces
4 cups of water
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 or 2 garlic cloves

Bring the water to a boil and cook the chicken.
Remove the chicken pieces and drop the dumplings in.
Tear chicken pieces and add them back in to pot.

To make dumplings:

1 1/2 cup sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp Crisco
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. water

Sift dry ingredients together, cut in Crisco, add milk and water. If it is to wet, add more flour. If the dough is too dry, add more water. Roll out and cut into squares. Drop in chicken broth and cook 10 minutes, uncovered.