Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Soup

I have been craving soup and decided to branch out and away from my usual chicken noodle (yum)...or potato - although I did find some yummy sounding corn and potato chowder recipes.  Maybe next week.  

I found a recipe for Beef Barley Soup - the reviews say it ends up more like a stew, not sure I want that and I'm not a big fan of barley so I am thinking I may substitute rice...Anyway, for Katie and Jono I have copied the recipe...

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray
  • 3/4  pound  boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 1/2  cups  thinly sliced carrot
  • 1 1/2  cups  thinly sliced celery
  • 2/3  cup  chopped onion
  • 1  (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
  • 4  cups  fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
  • 1  bay leaf
  • 2/3  cup  uncooked pearl barley
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/2  teaspoon  black pepper

Preparation

1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Remove beef from pan. Add carrot, celery, onion, and mushrooms to pan; cook 6 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add beef; fat-free, less-sodium beef broth; and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in pearl barley; cover and simmer 30 minutes or until pearl barley is tender. Stir in salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf.

I can't wait to try it!

Now I am off to the store for beef, barley, bay leaves...and the rest of the stuff that isn't already here.  I will try to take a picture for you at the end...

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Finished Product

The girls went to work during the week creating these masterpieces


I'm not sure what this one says, but I believe there is a dinosaur on it...
Colleen and Angie did a couple of these
They look so happy
Have to have a before shot...