Chicken and Slippery Dumplings

This is it, the real thing.  And it is great but if you want it even better....boil the chicken in chicken broth instead of water; twice the flavor.

1 stewing chicken (about 4 or 5 pounds), cut up
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

DUMPLINGS:
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons lard or butter
1/2 cup hot broth, (or if you prefer, cold milk)

Season chicken with salt and pepper; Place chicken, celery, onion and carrot in a Dutch oven.

Cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until chicken is tender (about 20 minutes per pound).

Remove chicken and keep warm.

When chicken is cool enough to handle remove the skin and discard it.

Remove the meat from the bones and return the bones to the broth in the pot. Reserve the chicken meat.

Bring the bones and aromatic vegetables to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour, covered. Strain the broth and reserve it. Discard the bones and cooked vegetables

Add water to measure 4 qts. Set aside 1/2 cup for dumplings. Return remaining broth to the Dutch oven; add Poultry Seasoning.

The Dumplings: Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture forms fine crumbs. Stir in enough of the 1/2 cup of hot broth you set aside to make a firm but manageable dough.
Meanwhile, bring broth to a boil. Roll dough to 1/16-in. thickness; NO THICKER. If thick, they will be tough. Cut into 2-in. squares. Drop a few at a time into boiling broth. You want the broth to always continue to boil.

Reduce the heat to medium and cook dumplings uncovered until tender, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken and serve immediately.