I usually use 2 cups Self-Rising Flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, omitting salt, and 2/3 to 1 cup water to mix til blended and dough together from the bowl, but not too dry like you'd make for biscuits..then heaping 1 teaspoonful each time into hot stew like chicken and dumpling..and turn down to simmer for few minutes til it's cooked til done..if wanted some "big' dumplings, I'd use tablespoons. I've made that recipe for many years...I never thought of using milk..hhahahaaaa..I've learned from my mama a long time ago...my kids and me always love them....sometimes I'd add parsley flakes to the dough.
Funny

is whenever I visit some friends or thier families, they'd use store-bought biscuits for dumplings and dump them into hot stew and take them out after like 2 minutes...didn't always taste very good or right..but I had to swallow and bear it, didn't want to hurt their feelings, if you get my meaning....lol..even my boyfriend uses them, so I always say, " no thanks...I'd rather eat vegs and chicken or meat wihtout dumplings and liquid...thanks..." lol
