Chicken and Dumplings

I have a question about making chicken and dumplings. I cook for five peers here in my office once per week....they are now requesting chicken and dumplings. My question/concern is if I make them the night before, won't the dumplings get soggy and gross? We usually come in at 8am and put whatever meal (if appropriate) in a big crock pot I brought to the office so I could feasibly do that and then add the dough here at work BUT it takes the pot at least 3 hours to get really hot and heat whatever is in it and I don't think the dumplings would cook properly in enough time for us to eat around 11:30 or 12.....any suggestions?? or maybe I should just bring chili....

THANKS! love your site...
Mia Jones

Just an idea:

If you are making the chicken broth from scratch, go ahead and cook the dumplings the nightbefore atop the broth. Then remove the dumplings, cover well, and refrigerate both the broth and dumplings. The broth will gel, even that clinging to the bottom of the dumplings. In the morning, put the gelled broth in the crock-pot and let it heat until soupy again. Then, when hot, and about 30-60 minutes before serving, place the dumplings back on, cover, and let them steam a bit to warm up (I'd guess about 30 minutes should do it????) I guess this would work if you're not making the broth from scratch as well.

I store dumplings in the fridge over a tomato sauce, and they don't seem to absorb any more liquid (or get soggy/gross) from the moment I remove them from the range. The sauce is thicker than chicken broth though, so that might contribute to it. It seems that most of the liquid is absorbed only while steaming on the stove, however.

Hope this will work foryou,

Desi @ DVO