Beef and Barley Soup

I am ALIVE!  I don't feel much like I am still, but I needed some liquid love today.  My throat needed it and my tummy too!  I saw someone eating beef and barley soup on a show last night and I decided I had to have it.  I know, I know, I am sick but really, it took no more time than heating up a can of soup. *GASP*   Considering my husband is sick as well, I figured it was our best chance at gaining any nourishment tonight!  Seems this cruddy cold business is spread far and wide, seems so many people have it right now that I know.  Let this one pot wonderment warm you from the inside out!  

Here is what you will need:
2qts beef stock + 1 empty container of water
1 medium onion
4 large carrots
3 ribs of celery
1 lb. (approx.) roast or steak cut into bite size pieces.
1-1 1/4 cups barley
2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme
2 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp butter
drizzle of olive oil

And here is what you will need to do with it when you have it gathered up!

Melt butter in soup pot and drizzle in some olive oil.  Chop carrots, celery, onion and beef and drop in pot.  Add salt and pepper.  Let cook on medium about 5 minutes stirring constantly.  Add 2 qts of beef stock, fill ONE empty container with water and add as well.  Add in thyme and parsley.  Let simmer 15 minutes and then add barley.  Cook according to time on the package.  Cook with lid on.  Serve with crusty buttered bread!!

This is definitely a soup HIT in my kitchen.   Its going to get chilly soon, *I hope*.  I am SO ready for fall!  And you will need nice warm bowls of goodness to keep your loved ones toasty!  Add this to your easy peasy pots of soup!  The longer it simmers on your stove *with the lid on* the better it becomes.  Add as much or as little beef as you like, I wished I had added more, thus giving you a measurement larger than mine, but my husband usually like lots of meat in soup and so do I.  

Enjoy, stay well and keep warm!

Your coughing, hacking, chefwannabe

Chris