Mom's Chicken and Dumplings

Again, I don't have a picture of this one. But anyone who has had my moms cooking can tell you. Her dumplings were like clouds. Large with the outsides all soaked up with the chicken broth, and the insides... lord have mercy...they were good. So light, and fluffy! MMM Mmm MMM! Going to have to make this here very soon!  Then ill come back and post the picture for you! 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole fryer chicken 
• 4 to 5 bay leaves
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 stick butter
• pepper, to taste
• 
  
• Dumplings:
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup oil
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 small eggs
• 3 cups flour

DIRECTIONS

• 1
  Place chicken in pot and over well with plenty of water and add bay leaves. Add salt and pepper, and the butter (the more butter, the richer the dish).
• 2
  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is well done, about 1 hour.
• 3
  Remove the chicken from the broth and debone. Return the deboned chicken to the broth. About 1/2 to 3/4 pot of broth should remain.
• 4
  For dumplings: In a large bowl, mix together the salt, oil, water, and eggs. Slowly add the flour to the mixture, blending it constantly with a fork. Stir only long enough to mix the dough. Mom always said don't over work the dough. You want light dumplings don'tcha!
• 5
  Turn the dough out onto a floured board. Pinch the dough in half, and roll out until thin, about 1/4 inch. Slice the dough into 1/2-inch-wide strips, and cross-slice into pieces 4 to 8 inches long, for ease in handling.
• 6
  Bring the broth and chicken back to a boil, and pepper well to taste. Drop the dumpling strips into the boiling stock. Boil approximately 20 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until until the dumplings are done (they’ll be puffy)Most of broth will be absorbed.