Country Beef Stew with Dumplings
1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cubed
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup butter
1 cup onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons of salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
2 cups potatoes, cubed
2 cups carrots, diced
1 cup celery, sliced
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 1/2 cups biscuit baking mix
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
In a bowl, toss cubed beef with flour to coat. Heat 4 tablespoons of butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Place flour in a bowl, adding beef cubes and then tossing to coat. Place coated cubes in the skillet and fry until browned on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside. Cook onion and garlic in same pan until tender. Return meat to pan with water, parsley, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed.
Stir in potatoes, carrots, celery, and green pepper, and continue cooking another 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, and stir in mushrooms. In a small bowl, mix together baking mix, 3 tablespoons melted butter, and milk until just blended. Drop dough by the tablespoonful into stew. Simmer, uncovered, approximately 10 minutes. Cover and simmer 10 minutes more or until dumplings are cooked through, but not dry.