Chicken & Basil Dumplings ~ "The secret of making light dumplings is to keep
them steaming on top of simmering liquid.  Be sure the temperature of the stock,
gravy or water in which you are cooking them never goes higher than a simmer." ~
quoted from ..The Joy of Cooking

                                 

                                
                                 














1.  Heat butter in a large skillet.  Add chicken pieces and brown on all sides.
Remove chicken from skillet.

2.  Add onion, celery, celery leaves, and garlic to fat in skillet.  Cook until     
vegetables are tender.  Sprinkle with flour and mix well.  Add chicken broth, sugar,
salt, pepper, basil, bay leaves, and parsley; bring to boiling, stirring constantly.  
Return chicken to skillet and spoon sauce over it; cover.

3.  Cook in a 350 F oven for 40 minutes.

4.  Shortly before cooking time is completed, prepare Basil Dumplings.

5.  Remove skillet from oven and turn control to 425o F.  Stir peas into skillet
mixture and bring to boiling.  Drop dumpling dough onto stew.

6.  Return to oven and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes;  cover and cook 10 minutes,
or until chicken is tender and dumplings are done.

Basil dumplings:  Combine 2 cups all-purpose biscuit mix and 1 teaspoon basil
leaves in a bowl.  Add 2/3 cup milk and stir with a fork until dough is formed.  
Continue as directed in recipe.

About 8 Servings
¼ cup butter or margarine
2 broiler-fryer chickens, cut in serving-size
pieces
½ cup onion, chopped
¼ cup celery, chopped
2 tbsp celery leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup enriched all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth/stock
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp basil leaves
2 bay leaves
¼ cup parsley, chopped
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen green peas
Basil Dumplings ~ recipe below