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...