Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

For the stew:

3 - 3 1/2 pounds of cooked and shredded chicken (a rotisserie chicken works fine)
4 Tablespoons butter
4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
2 celery ribs, sliced 1/4" thick
1 medium onion, chopped fine
6-8 Tablespoons flour
5 cups of chicken broth
1/4 cup of milk
1 teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 to 2 cups of peas (canned or frozen)
3 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

For the dumplings:
2 cups of All-Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup of whole milk
3 Tablespoons Butter, melted

Directions:

In a large dutch oven, saute the carrots, celery and onions in butter until vegetables are soft.  Add 6 Tbls flour and continue cooking over medium heat for a few minutes to cook out the "flour" taste.

Add the chicken broth, 1/4 cup of milk, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper.  Stir scrapping bottom of pot.  Add more flour if you prefer thicker sauce.   Add the chicken, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 1 hour.

To make dumplings, When stew almost done, in a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix well with a wire whisk.  Add 3 Tbls. melted butter and 1 cup of milk. 

When stew is done, add peas and chopped parsley.  Mix well.  Remove and discard bay leaves.  Return to a simmer and drop dumplings by rounded tablespoon onto the top of the stew.  Leave a little space between dumplings if you can because they will rise while cooking.

Reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook until the dumplings have doubled in size, about 15 to 20
minutes.