CHICKEN FRICASSEE WITH BISQUICK DUMPLINGS

1 (4 to 5 lb.) stewing chicken, cut up
1/4 cup fat
2 sprigs parsley
4 celery tops
1 carrot, sliced
1 slice onion
2 tsp, salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Bisquick Dumpling dough (recipe follows)
FOR THE GRAVY:
1/2 cup Bisquick
1 cup milk or cold water

Brown chicken slowly in fat.

Place in kettle with just enough boiling water to cover. Add rest of ingredients except dumplings. Boil 5 mintues; turn down heat and simmer until tender (2 to 3 hours.).

Make Dumplings from Basic Recipe and drop on simmering stew.

Remove dumplings and chicken to a platter; keep hot while making gravy (below).

Pour gravy over chicken and dumplings and serve.

TO MAKE THE GRAVY:
Leave chicken broth (about 4 cups) in kettle over low heat. Skim off excess fat. Mix 1/2 cup Bisquick and 1 cup milk or cold water to a smooth paste. Stir into broth. Cook until thickened (about 15 minutes), stirring occasionally. Season to taste.

BISQUICK DUMPLINGS
Makes 10 to 12 dumplings

2 cups Bisquick
3/4 cup milk

Mix Bisquick and milk thoroughly with fork. Drop by spoonfuls onto boiling stew. Cook uncovered over low heat 10 minutes. Then cover and continue cooking 10 minutes longer. Liquid should just bubble gently.

DUMPLING VARIATIONS:

Curry Dumplings:
Add 1/2 tsp. curry powder to dumpling dough.

Herb Dumplings:
Add 1 tsp. each poultry seasoning, instant dried onion, celery flakes and parsley flakes to dumpling dough.

DUMPLING TIPS:
Stew should be boiling when dumplings are dropped; the steam helps them to rise. Drop dough onto meat or vegetables, not into liquid, to avoid absorption of moisture from stew.

To drop dumpling dough easily: Dip spoon into broth each time before spooning dough. Use rubber scraper to slide dough from spoon.

Makes 8 servings
From: Recipelink.com
Source: The Bisquick Cookbook, General Mills Inc., 1964