Chicken Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter melted
• 6 tablespoons butter 
• 4  carrots 
• 4 rib celery 
• 1 tablespoon chicken soup base 
• 3 large eggs lightly beaten
• 0.8 cup milk 
• 1 large onion quartered
• 1 teaspoon pepper 
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 
• 1.5 teaspoons salt 
• 1 cup coarsely saltine crackers crushed ( 24 crackers)
• 2 cups self-rising flour 
• 0.3 cup shortening 
• 5 pound meat from a rotisserie chicken whole

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• whisk
• wire rack
• sieve
• blender
• baking pan
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Combine first 6 ingredients and water to cover in a large Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until tender.
2. Remove chicken and cool.
3. Pour 6 cups broth through a wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding solids. Reserve remaining broth for later use.
4. Whisk 6 tablespoons butter, bouillon granules, and poultry seasoning into strained broth until smooth. Set aside to cool.
5. Cut shortening into flour with a pastry blender or fork until crumbly.
6. Add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
7. Spread dough to a 1/2-inch thickness on a lightly greased baking sheet, forming 1 large hoecake.
8. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack; break into pieces.
9. Skin, bone, and coarsely chop chicken.
10. Layer chicken and hoecake pieces in a lightly greased 13-x 9-inch baking dish.
11. Whisk together chicken broth mixture and eggs; pour evenly over chicken and hoecake pieces.
12. Stir together cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon melted butter; sprinkle evenly over top of chicken mixture.
13. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden brown and set.
14. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.