Beef barley soup makes a rich and robust dinner.

Beef Barley Soup Mix Ingredients:

Baby limas, lentils, barley, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, leeks, herbs and paprika. No added salt, preservatives or MSG.

Allergen Information: This product contains pearled barley.

Recipe Additions:

2 tablespoons butter
1 very large onion, sliced
2 to 3 pounds beef stew meat or oxtails
10 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon salt
plenty of freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 turnips or potatoes, peeled and diced
handful of fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup sherry

Beef Barley Soup Recipe Directions:

• Brown onion and meat in butter in an 8 quart pot.
• Add beef barley soup mix, broth, salt and pepper and simmer, covered, slowly for 2 to 3 hours (longer for oxtails) or until beans are softened, stirring occasionally.
• Add turnips, sherry and mushrooms and continue cooking, covered, for 1 hour or more.

This stewy beef barely soup can be made a day ahead or frozen and reheated.

Vegetarian Soup Recipe Variation:

Make mushrooms the meat in this stew. Cut the quantity of broth to 8 cups. Instead of using beef, add 1 pound fresh mushrooms saut?ed to start the recipe. Finish with the diced turnip or potato and sherry for the last 45 minutes.

Inventive Recipe Variations:

Noni's Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

Slow Cooker Recipe Directions:

Recommended slow cooker: 6 quart

• In large skillet, brown meat and onion in butter. Drain and transfer to bowl of slow cooker. (May cover and refrigerate overnight.)
• Add contents of beef barley soup mix, broth, turnips, mushrooms and pepper to slow cooker, stir well.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
• Stir in sherry.
• Remove bouquet garni before serving.