Grandma's Chicken and Dumplings

Ok, well, this isn't exactly Grandma Sheffield's recipe... Grams usually uses a mix for her biscuits, which always tastes great, but I decided to make mine homemade-- and just a bit healthier with white whole wheat flour and flax seed! I am sure she won't mind my artistic license...

9 cups chicken stock

1 ½ lbs chicken breasts, sliced into 2 in. chunks

2 bay leaves

2 cups chopped celery (about 3-5 stalks)

2 cups chopped carrots (about 3-4 carrots)

2 diced potatoes

¾ cup frozen peas

2 cups white whole wheat flour

4 Tbsp. baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp of your favorite herb or salt free seasoning (I used Sunny Paris from Penzey’s)

½ tsp Black pepper

2 Tbsp ground flax seed

2 cups buttermilk

6 Tbsp melted butter

salt and pepper to taste

Pour chicken broth into a large dutch oven or wide stock pot, then add chicken and bay leaves. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add in celery, carrots and potatoes. Cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes.

While chicken and vegetables are cooking, prepare dumplings. Combine dry ingredients, then add buttermilk. Gently mix in melted butter.

When vegetables are done cooking, add peas and cook for 1 minute.

Stew should be at a very gentle simmer. With a large spoon, drop about 1/4 to 1/3 cup portions of dumpling mixture into the soup, leaving room in between each dumpling. You may only have enough room in the pot for about half the batter-- That’s ok! Cover the pot and let dumplings simmer for 15 minutes. Remove lid and then gently separate dumplings, which will be very soft. Stir the stew carefully, trying not to break apart the dumplings. Make room for more dumplings, and add the rest into the pot. Cover and very gently simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir carefully, and serve!