Roasted Beef, Mushrooms and Barley Soup

It is the middle of of one of the hottest summers on record and for some reason the other day I was craving hot soup. Sometimes when I crave soup I just open a can and heat it up over the stove and slurp away. This week was different than other summer days ... I wanted real home made soup, that was quick and hearty. (I was also just at a family party and everyone was talking about my cooking and why have I not posted anything in a while. It in a way inspired me to make this soup also.) But I digress ... back to the original recipe.

This was a soup that I originally found in Everyday Food Magazine and it looked so easy and so yummy I had to give it a whirl. It only has 5 real ingredients!!! Funny how I sound like a TV show on Food Network all of a sudden. But it is is true. It seriously only has 5 ingredients that make this one of the easiest, hearty and flavorful soups you will ever eat, in my opinion.

Beef, Mushroom & Barley Soup
1 lb. of beef chuck cut into 1" cubes
1 lb. of button mushrooms (steamed and cut in half)
1 cup of chopped onions (can be anything shallots, red, vadalia, pearl or white)
salt n pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil
4 cups of beef broth
1/2 cup of quick cooking barley

On a cookie sheet spread out the onions, mushrooms, and beef to make one layer. Drizzle the olive oil over it and season with salt n pepper, in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes to brown .

Remove form the oven and transfer to a dutch oven or stock pot. Add the barley and the beef broth. Bring to a boil and simmer till barley is soft, approximately 12 minutes.

I have made this soup for many family & friends and they have all been very happy with the dish. This is one of those dishes that is so much better the next day and the day after.

Try this one ... it takes less than an hour and is so easy.

YUM!!!