My very favorite dumplings recipes.

Apple Dumplings with Hard Sauce
1 recipe pie crust
3 tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tbsp. dark raisins
2 tbsp. chopped walnuts
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 lg. baking apples, Rome Beauty
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 egg yolk
Whole cloves

HARD SAUCE:
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. unsifted confectioners'

Make pastry and form into a flat 8" round; wrap in wax paper; refrigerate. In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons butter, granulated sugar, raisin, walnuts and cinnamon; blend. Core apples with cover. Pare apples and brush with lemon juice. Using spoon fill hollows with raisin nut mixture. Set oven heat at 425 degrees.

Grease a shallow baking pan, 15 1/2" x 10 1/2" x 1". On lightly floured surface, divide pastry evenly into sixths. Form each piece into a round ball. Flatten each piece; then roll out from center into an 8 1/2" square. Trim edges using a pastry wheel for decorative edge. Save trimmings. Place an apple in center of each square; brush edges lightly with water. Bring each corner of square to top of apple; pinch edges of pastry together firmly to cover apple completely.

Re-roll trimming 1/4" thick and cut out 24 leaves, 1 3/4" long and 3/4" wide. Brush one end of each leaf with water. Press leaves on top of dumplings, put clove in center. Arrange in pan. Brush with yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon water. Bake, brushing once with juices in pan 40 minutes or until pastry is browned and apples are tender when tested with a wooden pick. Remove dumplings to serving dishes. Serve warm, topped with Hard Sauce. In medium bowl cream butter until light, add confectioners' sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings
4 chicken breasts or 1 whole chicken
Cover with water and cook until tender.  Salt and pepper to taste. When tender (about 1 1/2 hours), remove chicken and strain broth. Add more water and 2 chicken cubes (bouillon) and bring to a boil.

DOUGH
1 c. milk or cream
2 eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
5 tbsp. melted Crisco
1 tsp. salt
2 c. plain flour (add enough to make stiff dough)
 

Roll out on floured pastry board as thin as possible (almost see through dough). Cut in inch strips; pinch off and drop one at a time into boiling broth. Stir very lightly to keep from sticking. (You may not need all dough.) Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring gently about three times.