TOMATO DUMPLINGS

Tomato Dumplings

1/4 cup butter
½ cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1/4 cup diced celery
1 bay leaf
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, and their juice, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. Brown sugar
½ tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper
½ tsp dried or1 Tbsp chpped fresh basil (optional)
1 cup flour
1 ½ tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp butter, cut up
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup milk
1 Tbsp. Minced fresh parsley

Melt the 1/4 cup butter; add onion and next three ingredients. Saute 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in tomatoes, next three ingredients, and , if desired, the basil. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the Tablespoon of butter with a pastry blender, or rub between your hands until the mixture is crumbly. Add egg, milk, and parsley, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened. Drop dough by Tablespoonfuls into simmering tomato mixture.
Cover and cook over mediumlow heat 20 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf. Serve immediately.

Yes, the vegetarian version is great but this version exceeds expectations:

Sausage Variation: 

Start off by cooking one pound of country sausage (any roll of breakfast sausage will do) shaped into meatballs. Drain off the grease and set the sausage balls aside and proceed with sauteeing vegetables. Add the sausage with the tomatoes and proceed
.
CAVEAT: This version converted one stalwart vegetarian.