Chicken Veggie Soup with Pasta and Dumplings

I first saw this recipe last winter. For one reason or another I never got around to making it but I placed it a special file of "first recipes of fall." (Yes- I do categorize my recipes. No- you do not have permission to judge me, thank you very much!) I couldn't wait to make it, it just seemed like the perfect fall soup. Best of all it had dumplings which made me sure John would be a fan too. Sure enough we both loved it. I mean hello- soup+pasta+dumplings=AMAZING. Or at least that's the way I do math.

This recipe yields a lot of soup. Like, a lot. We both ate it for dinner, I took some for lunch, and I froze a big container of it for once the baby gets here. I'm already looking forward to pulling this out of the freezer and reheating it... yum. Serve it with bread, because a soup with pasta and dumplings doesn't have enough carbs on it's own. ::wink wink::

Source: Adapted from Lauren's Kitchen, originally from Rachel Ray

Ingredients:
2 tbsp EVOO
3 tbsp butter
1 rib celery, chopped
1 medium onion, diced small
Salt and pepper
2 rounded tbsp flour
6-8 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp dried thyme
2 cups frozen carrots and peas mix
1 cup Bisquick pancake mix
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup tiny pasta (slightly less than 1/2 cup), uncooked (like pastina)
1 1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken

Directions:
1- In a large pot heat the oil and butter. Add the onion and celery, stir. Cover and allow to cook until soft, about 7 minutes.
2- Top with the flour, stirring until the mixture thickens. Add the broth and stir until well blended. Allow to heat over medium heat. Stir in the ground mustard and thyme, along with the peas and carrots mix. Cook 10 minutes or so. Season with salt and pepper.
3- In a small bowl combine the Bisquick and milk, along with the garlic powder. Stir until well combined, set aside.
4- Add the pasta and chicken to the soup, stirring well. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
5- Using two spoons, spoon small amounts of the biscuit mix into the hot soup. Once all of the dumplings are added cover and allow to cook 8 minutes, stirring gently occasionally.
6- Serve hot.