Vegetable Beef Barley Soup

     This has been a really crazy winter in terms of the weather. It was cold early, then very warm right before Christmas and then the Polar Vortex, with another one coming again this week.  

     When the freezing cold weather hits, all I want to do is to stay inside. And when I am inside, all I want to do is cook. It doesn't matter to me if I cook sweet or savory. If I make meals or desserts. Cooking or baking. When I am in the kitchen, I am happy.  

     So with this upcoming Polar Vortex, here is a great stick to your ribs soup. It will fill you up and warm you from the inside.  

     Please be sure to follow the directions of the barley that you use. This time I used Goya barley and it took 30 minutes to cook, but there is quick cook barley which only takes a few minutes.  Just take notice.

     I will give you my recipe, but feel free to substitute any vegetables that you like or have on hand.  I usually add fresh green beans, but didn't have any, so I used mushrooms instead. If you like peas or Lima beans (I don't) they would be perfect in here as well.  Experiment and have fun.

     This will make a nice big pot of soup and with the barley it gets thicker when leftover.  You could even thicken it up a bit more with some cornstarch and put it in a pie plate, top with a refrigerated pie crust and have a pot pie.  

Vegetable Beef Barley Soup

2 TBSP canola oil

1 1/2-2 pounds stew meat, cut into bite sized pieces

1 cup barley

6 cups beef stock 

3 cans stewed tomatoes (I used 1 can of Rotel)

3 stalks celery, chopped

5 carrots, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

5 large red potato, chopped 

1 green squash, chopped

1 lb green beans, chopped 

1 lb mushrooms, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp black pepper

1 TBSP Italian seasoning

juice of one lemon

In a large dutch oven brown the stew meat in the oil.  Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrot. Cook until the onions are translucent. Add the rest of the veggies, stock, pepper, Italian seasoning and the lemon juice.  Bring to a boil,stir thoroughly to combine. Cover and turn down to a simmer for about 20 minutes. Add your barley and continue to cook until the barley is done.  

Asparagus Soup with Lemon and Parmesan

Asparagus season is here and I have the perfect soup to make.  It is rich and creamy, yet there is no cream so it will help with getting ready for bathing suit season.  I found this on Pinterest and it was delicious.  Of course, I was the only person in my family to try it so far. Let me know if you try it and how you liked it. Thanks.


2 bunches asparagus (2 1/4 lbs)
3 TBSP unsalted butter
2 med onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
6 cups low sodium chicken broth ( vegetable broth)
1 tsp chicken base (optional)
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 TBSP fresh squeezed lemon juice 
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
Handful of fresh herbs thyme,dill, basil ( I used thyme)

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft and translucent (10 mins).  
In the meantime, cut tips off the asparagus and set aside.  Cut the remaining asparagus into 1/2 inch pieces.   Add the chopped asparagus ( not the tips) to the pot, along with the chicken broth, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until veggies are tender, about 30 minutes.  Blanch tips in a small pot of boiling salted water for a few minutes and immediately submerge into an ice bath to preserve color.  Set aside.
Carefully purée the soup in batches in a blender. Be sure to remove the center of the top and place a towel over top to let the heat escape. Return to the pot and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the lemon juice and grated Parmesan cheese.
Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt, pepper and lemon juice if needed.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with the reserved tips, additional grated cheese, some of the fresh herbs and freshly grated pepper.  


recipe from onceuponachef

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

If you are looking for your veggies to disappear, then this is the dish for you.  This cauliflower is so delicious, my kids always gather around the baking dish eating the little bits stuck on the bottom. (Scavengers, lol!)

6 cups cauliflower florets, about 1 1/2 inches
2 TBSP +   Extra virgin olive oil
1 TBSP sliced garlic
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 TBSP freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat even to 500
Place the cauliflower florets in a large roasting pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower and season with the garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Place the pan in the oven and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve immediately.  

I cook this until it is a little more burnt and my kids like it like that.  I never measure the cheese, just grate lots of Locatelli. 


Recipe from Emeril

Avocado and Corn Salsa

     I am always ready for a nice little treat to eat while I watch TV or while hanging out by the pool. This is so yummy, I even had it for lunch today. You could add a little chicken to it, and it would be good on a burger. 
     As usual, I didn't follow the directions that I had, and made it my own.  It originally called for back-eyed peas, and I have never had them, so I used black beans, which I love.  And I happened to have some corn that I froze over the summer, and I used that instead of canned.

     Let me know if you make it, and if you do anything different .



1 1/2 cups fresh corn
1 can black beans, rinsed
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
3 avocados, chopped
1 pkg Good Seasons dressing mix

Mix all ingredients together and chill overnight.

original recipe from Becky Higgins

Mushroom Soup

I made some soup today to share with a friend. Just a little something to make her day better.  It is basically The Pioneer Woman's soup, but I made a few changes.  I never follow a recipe exactly, and it is usually perfect anyway. 

3 TBSP olive oil
2 carrots, finely minced
2 stalks of celery, finely minced
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
1 lb. of white mushrooms, sliced thin
1/2 c.white wine ( Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio)
1/2 c. V8 juice
1/2 c. Vegetable broth
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 tsp cornstarch 
1/4 c. Water
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot.
Add carrots and celery to the pot to soften. Clean your mushrooms ( rub them gently with a damp paper towel to remove any dirt). Add the garlic and mushrooms to the pot. Allow them to soften and reduce.  Pour in the wine and let it cook with the mushrooms for a few minutes.  
Add the V8, and vegetable broth and let gently boil for about 5 minutes before adding the heavy cream and bring to a soft boil.
Grate Parmesan and add it to the pot. Blend the cornstarch and water thoroughly and add this to the pot.
Lower the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
 Serve with a crusty roll.

This makes about 4 small servings. It is easily doubled.