Vegetable Stew with Dumplings

This is a family favorite and sadly I have no picture for it. We are always too excited to eat it and then it's gone before we know it. In the past I've always made it using canned chicken but I turned it vegetarian by adding more vegetables and nixing the chicken. My husband said it was blog worthy. I adapted the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Chicken Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings recipe.

Ingredients:

Stew

• 18 oz of water
  
• 1 or 2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into small chunks
  
• 5 oz frozen peas
• 5 oz frozen corn
• 1 cup chopped onion (can use dried onion if you want, check the ratios)
  
• 1/2 tsp. dried dill
• 1/8 tsp. dried basil
  
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 1/3 cup flour

Dumplings

• 1/2 cup white flour
• 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tb. shortening or butter/margerine
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (if you don't have butter milk add 1/2 Tb. of lemon juice to your milk)
  

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl combine the dry dumpling ingredients. Cut in the shortening until you have course crumbs. Add the buttermilk, stirring until just moistened.

2. In a large saucepan combine the water, potatoes, frozen veggies, onions, herbs, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Boil for about 10 min.

3. Meanwhile in a small bowl combine the milk and flour. Mix into the saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Reduce the heat to a medium low and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes or until the potato chunks are getting soft. Make sure to stir occasionally so the stew doesn't cook onto the bottom of the pan.

4. Add the dumpling dough from a tablespoon into 6-8 mounds onto the top of the stew. Simmer, covered (do not lift the cover), over low heat for about 10-12 minutes. Check dumplings using a wooden toothpick.

Notes about this recipe:

1. We have found that this recipe serves about 2 people, with a tiny bit of leftovers.
2. If you prefer more stew with your dumplings, then I would double the stew recipe but not the dumpling recipe.