Old made New

Here is an almost 80 year old recipe, that I am going to up date for camping. Its good, familiar, and worming on a cool evening in the mountains. It is from the same Wyoming cookbook I've been doing for a week or so. The recipe is from Mrs. Julia Bickel, Sheridan.

BEEF STEW with DUMPLINGS

2 pounds cubed beef
2 tablespoons fat
3 cups boiling water
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup flour
12 small onions ( I think she used pearl onions, So I did.)
6 carrots ( I cut in small chips.)
1 cup diced celery
3 potatoes diced

Melt fat in heavy skillet, (I used 12" dutch) add meat and brown on both sides. Add water (boiling), salt and pepper. Cover tightly and simmer for 2 1/2-3 hours or until meat is tender. (I did this part over bottom heat only, on my camp-chef stove to save charcoal) Add vegetables to the meat during the last 25 minutes of cooking. Drop dumplings on top, cook 12 minutes longer. Add flour mixture to thicken. ( she gave no mixture, so I used a 1/4 cup of water) ( She gave no recipe for dumplings, and this is were I updated this. I took a small can of refrigerator biscuits, and cut each in four.)

This made a very good stew, and I can't wight to go camping again. Keep the pots hot. Or as the outlaw gourmet would say, "Don't rob your self of good cookin'"