Rainy Monday=Chicken and Dumpling Soup

I woke up Monday morning to a sticky note with money and a grocery list requesting cans of soup for my sick boyfriend. As I left work that day, I had a pounding headache and had to make a mad dash for the car through the rain. There was grocery shopping to be done and The Bachelor Finale to watch, so I headed to the store despite the nasty weather. Nothing brings my mood down like a headache and wet ankles, so I knew Chicken and Dumpling Soup would be the perfect remedy. Sean wanted me to pick up soup, but I thought I'd do him one better and make some. Nothing soothes like a pot of soup on the stove! So I enjoyed a bowl for dinner, watched the debacle that was The Bachelor, then felt the need for another bowl!

Ingredients:
Small Whole Chicken or several chicken breasts
Pre-made frozen Dumplings, 24 oz pkg
Half stalk celery, including leafy tops
Half of an onion
Splash of whipping cream
2 cans Cream of Chicken (Or one chicken/one mushroom)
Chopped Flat leaf parsley
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder to taste
32-oz container of chicken broth (Or if boiling the whole chicken, use its broth)
2-3 Tbs EV Olive Oil

In large soup pot with just enough water to cover, boil chicken until almost done, about 30 minutes if using whole chicken (it will continue to cook once in pot with other ingredients so you don't want it dry.)
Meanwhile, give the celery and onion a rough chop. Don't forget the leafy part of the celery because that's where all the flavor is!

Place chicken onto roasting or baking pan (just somewhere to work) and remove all the good meat. I used ALL of it. Breasts, thighs, legs, wings. Set chicken aside. If using the broth made from boiling the chicken, pour it into a large bowl and set aside to be used later.

In that pot, circle the pan twice with EVOO (a couple tbs). Add the chopped onion, celery, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cook on Medium to soften, about 5-7 minutes.

Pour the broth back into the pot, keeping chicken aside, and bring to a low boil.
Break the dumplings into desired size and drop a few at a time into the broth. Stir well to keep from sticking.
Lower the heat to Med Low, cover, and cook for about 25 minutes. When the dumplings are done, add the chicken, cream of chicken or mushroom, splash of cream (maybe 1/2 cup). Season to taste and keep on low until ready to eat. Chicken and Dumplings and Sweet Tea...Nothin' better!