30 Days of Something New Day 1 - Beef Barley Soup

 I would love to say that I could focus enough
 to do a whole year of something, everyday, but I cannot.
 I like too much variety.
 I enjoyed watching Julie and Julia, and was inspired by it.
 To have the focus and determination
 to keep cooking a new recipe a day
 for a whole year is awe inspiring.
 Just not something I aspire to do.
 
I do however love the idea of trying new things and learning.
 So I am going to take things down a few notches
 and say I will do something new for
 30 days, everyday. One day at a time.
 
And to break it down even further,
 I will do a category a week for 4 weeks
 until 30 days is complete.
 
Which brings me to my first day, today.
My first week, my first category.
 
Soups. Soups you say?
 In the middle of summer in Florida?
Yes, soups. It seems like a good idea to me.
 At the end of a week, I will have 7 new soups
 in my recipe file all ready for the winter months.
 And lets face it, I am in air-conditioning!
 
I have so many recipes just sitting and begging to be tried.
 So here we go.

I will post tomorrow how it turned out
 and whether it is a "keeper".
 
 
 Beef Barley Soup
from Family Circle Magazine
 Feb. 2013  pg. 120



Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon  vegetable oil
  • 1 1/4 pounds  beef chuck for stew, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon  salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon  black pepper
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 26 ounce container unsalted beef stock (such as Swanson), about 31/4 cups
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 ribs celery, sliced
  • 1 14 1/2ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
  • 8 ounces  sliced white mushrooms
  • 3/4 cup  barley
  • 1/2 teaspoon  dried thyme
  • 1 cup  frozen peas, thawed
  • Chopped parsley (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season beef with 1/4 tsp. of the salt and the black pepper and add to pot; sauté 5 minutes, turning once. Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add stock, 3 cups water, carrots and celery. Cover and simmer 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, barley, remaining 3/4 tsp. of the salt and the thyme. Simmer 30 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in peas and simmer 2 minutes. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
 

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