Chicken N Dumplings

So I have not posted in a while...so here goes a few (yes most will be on automatic post...but who cares really). I made this about a month ago when it was cool for AZ standards. I think the high was around 50 for the weekend (ie. to cold to sit by the pool even with no breeze and a strong sun).

Back to the chicken n dumplings. This is from Paula Deen, but it is comparable to other recipes I came across that did not consist of taking biscuit mix and dumping some chicken mixture over it.

What you will need:
1 (2.5 lbs) chicekn (cut into 8 pieces)
3 ribs of celery, chopped
1 large onion. chopped
2 bay leaves
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp house seasoning (ie. salt, pepper, garlic powder)
1 can condensed cream of celery or chicken soup

Dumplings:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
ice water

Start the chicken, celery, onion, bay leaves, bouillon and house seasoning in a large pot. Add 4 qts of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until the chicken is tender (about 40 minutes). Remove the chicken and remove skin and separate the meat from the bones. Also remove the bay leaves. Add the chicken back to the pot.

While the chicken continues to simmer prepare the dumplings. Mix flour with the salt and mound together in a mixing bowl. Beginning at the center of the mound drizzle a small amount of ice water over the flour. Using your fingers, and moving from the center to the sided of the bowl, gradually incorporate about 3/4 cup of ice water. Knead dough into a ball.

Dust flower onto a clean surface. Roll out of dough working from the center to the 1/8 inch thick. Let dough relax.

While the dough rests add the cream of celery soup and let simmer. If the stew is still too thin gradually add in cornstarch before adding dumplings. (I wont lie I still didnt get the stew as think as I wanted...so suggestions welcome).

Cut dough into 1 inch pieces. Pull a piece in half and drop into the soup. Repeat, but do not stir once the dumplings have been added or until they have cooked. If you need to stir do so slowly.

Once ready spoon into a bowl and serve with biscuits or corn bread (my two preferences).