Chicken and Dumpling Stew

I've adapted hcopeland's Chicken and Dumplings so much that I thought I'd post my own version.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 4  quarts  chicken stock (I use homemade-not sure of the canned conversion amount)
• 1  lb  red potatoes
• 1  lb carrot
• 2  stalks celery
• 1  cup  shredded chicken (I often don't use any)
• 2  tablespoons cornstarch, mixed in cold water

• Dumplings

• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3  teaspoons shortening
• 3⁄4 cup buttermilk (you can mix 1 t vinegar and 1 c milk if you don't have butter milk)
• 1  teaspoon parsley

Directions

1. Cut the carrots, celery and potatoes up any way you like, as long as they end up in bite-sized pieces.
2. Add the stock, along with the vegetables and chicken to a large pot.
3. Put over low heat for 2 hours. (This can be shortened to 1 hour, but will sacrifice some flavor.).
4. Ten minutes before you want to serve, turn up the heat to medium-high and make the dumplings: cut the shortening into the flour until the lumps of shortening are pea-sized or smaller. Sprinkle in the buttermilk; mix with a fork until the flour holds together. Form into a ball and pinch pieces of dough off and drop into the stew. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until all the dough pieces float to the surface.
5. Add the cornstarch-and-water mixture and stir until thickened.
6. Serve!
7. Note: if you're planning on saving this for leftovers, either use less cornstarch or none at all-it will congeal in the fridge and not liquefy again.