I don't know if this recipe was posted before or not because the numbers are coming up but not the recipes. I've saved it for awhile and just found it again today.
Beef-and-Barley Soup ~ Makes 8 servings
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups sliced celery
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups cooked pearl barley (see how-to, below)
8 cups beef broth
Two cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine
1 ts thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Toasted croutons and/or sour cream, optional
Note: You may substitute extra-lean turkey, chicken or ground beef to reduce the amount of fat in the recipe (skip the sour cream garnish, too). To significantly reduce the amount of sodium in this dish, add no extra salt, use reduced-sodium tomatoes and beef broth or your own homemade broth prepared with little or no added salt.
In large pot with lid, cook ground beef over medium-high heat until browned, breaking meat up with fork. Remove meat from pot; set aside. Heat vegetable oil in pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion, celery and garlic; cook about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp.
Add cooked beef, cooked pearly barley, broth, tomatoes, red wine, thyme and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring soup to boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook 20 minutes. Stir in parsley and serve.
Garnish each serving with tasted croutons or a dollop of sour cream, if desired.
To cook pearl barley: In medium saucepan with lid, bring to boil 3 cups water. Add 1 cup pearl barley and return to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 45 minutes or until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed. (You may cook the barley ahead of time, place in an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze for up to 1 week. For best results, bring refrigerated or frozen barley to room temperature before using.)
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: calories, 424; fat, 20 grams; calories from fat, 42 percent; carbohydrates, 32 grams; protein, 27 grams; fiber, 6 grams; cholesterol, 74 milligrams; sodium, 1,146 milligrams