On day before serving, rinse and place hen, onion, celery, salt, and enough water to just cover it in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered over low-medium heat. Cook for 3-4 hours until meat is tender and falls from the bone. Remove chicken and strain, keeping broth. Cool chicken and chop. Refrigerate broth over night.

On day of serving remove fat off top of broth. In a large pot melt 1/2 chicken fat (or butter); stir in 1/2 cup flour. Then add strained chicken broth and stir until thickened. At this point you can add the carrots and celery and simmer until they are tender. Add chicken pieces and heat through.

For Dumplings: Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add milk and melted butter (or any extra chicken fat if you have any left) to make a soft dough. Add parsley if wanted as well. Drop dough by heaping teaspoons into simmering stew. Cover tightly and steam without lifting lid for 12-15 minutes. Season to taste. Enjoy!