If you need to stretch a meal and feed the family masses back to back after Thanksgiving, it’s time for Chicken and Dumplings! Boil a whole chicken in the crock pot, with fresh herbs, celery and a whole onion, kosher salt and pepper. Remove the cooked chicken and refrigerate, if not serving within 2 hours. Strain and pour the fresh chicken broth into a large pot on the stove. In a bowl, mix fresh biscuits from scratch. Drop handfuls of the biscuit mix into the hot chicken broth. Cover. Stir with a wooden spoon after about 6 minutes. Stir well. Adjust the season, to taste, by adding kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Stir well, again. Most of the dumplings will have broken up to make a thick gravy. Meanwhile, make a second batch of biscuit mix from scratch. Drop in handfuls of the 2nd batch of biscuit mix into the hot gravy-like broth. Reduce the heat to very low. Cover. DO NOT OPEN THE LID FOR 25 to 30 Minutes. The thicker broth will hold the dumplings up so that the 2nd batch will steam. This will make the dumplings have a cake-like texture. When serving, serve with the boiled chicken hot with the beautiful homemade dumplings. Adorn the plate or bowl with fresh herbs or chopped herbs. You’ll get hugs for your grand performance! © Kelly McBride Loft