Chicken and Dumplings, easy crockpot version

Ingredients
1 chicken, whole or pieces but include bones and all pieces. Free range would be nice.
1 pound good whole carrots
Inner parts of a bunch of celery
1 medium large yellow onion
1 14 or 16 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes
1 16 ounce bag petite frozen peas
Mushrooms type and volume optional
1- 24 ounce box chicken broth, I recommend Swanson’s or Better Than Bouillon
¼ cup Italian Seasonings – I used a mixture from my garden of dried thyme, marjoram, oregano, sage … heaviest in the order written. Commercial mixes will also suffice.
¼ cup chopped parsley – Again, from my garden but please, if you don’t have the luxury of your own garden use either fresh or frozen, never dry.
2 ¼ cup low fat Bisquik mix
2/3 cup skim milk

Equipment:
Large Crockpot
Large frying pan with lid
Bowl
Vegetable peeler
Knife
Can opener
Stove
Refrigerator


The day before serving:
Place chicken, peeled carrots, sliced celery, chopped onion, mushrooms in whatever shape preferred, tomatoes plus juice and chicken broth in large covered Crockpot and cook on high with lid until chicken is done. Discard skin and bones, place chicken back in broth. Place everything (OK to leave in liner of Crockpot) in refrigerator over night.

3 hours before serving:
Skim solidified fats and discard
Shred cooked chicken
Add seasonings, parsley, and peas
Reheat everything in crock pot again on high

30 minutes before serving:
Pour broth into large frying pan
Bring to a boil
Mix dumplings from Bisquick and milk
Drop raw dumplings (about 2 Tablespoons each) into boiling broth
Turn heat to medium
Cover
Cook about 20 minutes

Serve.