Chicken with Dumplings

Dumplings
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons butter, soft
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces cream 

Prepare dumplings by combining flour, salt and baking powder. Blend the butter and oil into the flour, and add the cream to make dough stiff enough to roll out. Roll the dough out to ¼ inch thickness. Cut dough into 2 inch squares.

Chicken
3 each 3 pound chickens
1 gallon chicken stock
4 each bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
8 ounces carrots, medium diced
1 pound onions, medium diced
1 pound celery, medium diced
8 ounces leeks (white part only), medium diced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 cups milk
4 ounces roux (equal parts melted butter and flour blended together)
5 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
Salt and pepper to taste 

In a large stockpot, combine the chicken, stock, bay leaves and salt and pepper.

Heat to a boil, continue boiling for 5 minutes and then skim the surface to remove grease and impurities. Reduce heat to medium and add carrots, onions, celery and leeks. Cover and cook for about an hour or until fork tender. Remove the chicken and strain the stock. Keep stock and vegetables separate.

Heat 2 quarts of the strained stock to a boil and drop in the dumplings. Reduce heat to simmer and cover and cook for about 10 minutes or until they are completely cooked inside. Remove dumplings and bring stock back to a boil.

Add garlic, milk and blend in the roux. Cook out for about 20 minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper and add parsley. Combine chicken, vegetables, dumplings, sauce and serve. Serves 10.