Chicken and Dumplings

I had an aggravating day yesterday and decided I wanted something soothing and delicious for supper.  There was a whole chicken in the fridge, so I took it out, washed it, and threw it in a big pot.  You can do the same.

1 whole chicken, washed and entrails removed
Water to cover
10 peppercorns
2-3 stalks of celery (I keep them in the freezer, cut up, for just this sort of moment)
1 medium red onion
3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
2 tsp of thyme
1 tsp sage
2 tsp kosher salt

Put everything into a big pot and heat to boiling, then cover pot and turn the heat down to medium low. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for three or four …