Browned Beef Stew and Dumplings

For Stew:

2 1/2 - 3 lbs beef stew meat
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 large onions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tsp pepper
8 cups beef stock
salt, to taste

Put flour in a large plastic bag, along with meat and shake to coat.  In a skillet, heat oil and then cook meat until well browned on all sides.  Put pieces in roaster as they brown.  Reduce heat to medium.  Add to the drippings the chopped onion and garlic.  Cook till almost tender, about 3 minutes.  Stir in 1/2 cup flour until blended.  Gradually stir in 8 cups of beef broth, and pepper.  Cook while stirring, till slightly thickened.  Add to meat.  Cover roaster and bake at 325 for about 2 1/2 - 3 hours, till meat is tender.

For Dumplings:
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp parsley
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp oil

Stir together dry ingredients.  In a cup, combine milk and oil.  Slowly stir into the flour till just mixed.  Drop by heaping tablespoonful onto beef.  Cook for 10 minutes uncovered, then cover and bake 10 minutes more, until toothpick inserted in center of a big biscuit comes out clean.