Beef Barley Soup

A hearty "comfort food" soup

Nothing says “comfort food” like a hearty soup such as Beef Barley Soup. It is made with beef chuck roast but it is also a great way to use up left over Prime Rib from those “special occasion” dinners!! I hope you enjoy!!!

Beef Barley Soup
Serves 6-8 people

INGREDIENTS:
• 3 lbs beef chuck roast , trimmed and cut into ½ inch cubes put in bowl & seasoned with Salt & Pepper
• 2 TBS vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, minced
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped fine
• 2 celery stalks with ribs, chopped fine
• ½ c dry red wine…the GOOD stuff!!
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp dry thyme
• 4 cups/32 oz beef broth
• 4 cups/32 oz chicken broth
• ¾ c pearl barley
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/3 cup dry dill (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Take the bite size pieces of beef and season generously with salt & pepper. Heat 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a 12 inch skillet over med-high heat until just smoking. Add “HALF” the meat to the skillet and cook..”without stirring”, until well browned on one side..about 4 minutes. Stir the meat and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until completely browned, 5-7 minutes. Then transfer to soup pot and repeat process.
2. Now as the meat is simmering in the soup pot, add the onions & celery & ¼ tsp of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened about 4-6 mins. Next stir in the wine, scraping the bottom of the soup pot, and add carrots & stir. Then add tomatoes and thyme, bring to a boil.
3. Once boiling, add the chicken & beef broth and the pearl barley. Cover, and put on low and cook for about 1 to 1 ½ hours…check it!! The MOST IMPORTANT thing is that the meat is tender….don’t ever rush it!!!! And don’t ever boil soup thinking that it will cook faster!!!

*******After 1 1/2 hours the meat was still NOT tender so I continued cooking on a low heat, like you would with a slow cooker, for another 3 hours and then it was PERFECT!! Infact, it was even better the second day!!! ****

White Chili & Chicken

WHITE CHILI

SERVES 6-8 PEOPLE

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 C chopped onion
• 2 TBS minced garlic (from the jar)
• 1 TBS cumin
• ½ tsp oregano
• 1-2 tsp chopped jalapeño (from a jar or whatever)
• 3-4 C of cooked chicken (rotisserie is perfect) cut into ½” cubes or thawed skinless chix breast (see note below)
• 2 C chicken broth
• 1 C water
• 1 tsp lemon pepper
• 1- 4oz can diced green chilies
• 2 TBS lemon juice
• 2- 15 oz cans Great Northern Beans (do not drain)
• 2- 9 oz thawed Shoepeg White Corn

Now go and gather everything and put on counter, then open cans, measure ingredients, chop chicken & onion etc….and THEN you are ready to go!!!!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Take the 1^st 4 ingredients and cook in 2 TBS of oil until tender

2. Take all the rest of the ingredients and put into crock pot/slow cooker along with the onion mixture and set to high.  Cook for about 2 hours and you are ready to go!!

Top with grated Monterey jack cheese, green onions and some chopped cilantro!!!

Could this be any easier????? I mean, SERIOUSLY!!!!

***P.S…you can also use thawed skinless chicken breast.  Cut into bite size pieces, and then add to the same ingredients BUT, this will take all day, at a low setting, to cook!!! It will be ready by the time you get home from work!!!!***

Saucy/Tangy/Lemony Bar-B-Que Ribs in Crockpot

Saucy, Tangy, Lemony Bar-B-Que Ribs

2 lbs pork back ribs

1 tsp salt & pepper

2 celery stalks, finely chopped (separate in half in 2 bowls)

1 lg onion, finely chopped (separate in half in 2 bowls)

2 TBS butter

½ c cider vinegar

¼ c each chili sauce (or ketchup) and brown sugar

1 TBS Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ tsp each dry mustard AND red pepper chili flakes

2 TBS minced garlic

½ lemon, thinly sliced

First thing: READ the recipe!! Make sure you have everything on it, then go and gather EVERYTHING up in a roasting pan and put on counter. Next, chop, slice, measure and pour!! Have that all done before you even think of turning on the stove to start cooking. It makes it soooo much easier if you are prepared like this.

• Cut ribs into 3 or 4 rib serving size portions. Place in bowl of slow cooker. Sprinkle with sale & pepper, turning evenly to coat. Add ½ of celery & ½ of onion. Cover and cook on high setting for 3-4 hrs or on low setting for 5-6 hours. Turn meat half way through. You’ll know it’s ready when it falls right off the bone!
• Before serving, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Next add the other half of both the onion/celery mixture and stir frequently until soft (about 5 minutes).
• Now, whisk in the vinegar, chili sauce or ketchup, brown sugar, worcestershire, dry mustard, pepper flakes, garlic and the lemon slices. Be sure to remove the seeds from the lemon slices before cooking them.
• Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer, stirring often for about 5 minutes. Or, you can make the sauce up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat before serving. Place the ribs on a large platter or plates. Drizzle with warm sauce. This is awesome with mashed potatoes!!!

SERVES 4!!!!……………………………….I doubled the recipe for this video.

Chocolate Lava Cake a la Crock Pot

CHOCOLATE LAVA CROCK POT CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pkg Devils Food Cake Mix (Duncan Hines is my favorite!)

• 3 eggs

• 1/3 cups vegetable oil
• 1 2/3 cups water
• 1 pkg Jell-O Flavor Instant Pudding Mix (or a store brand, who cares!!)
• 2 cups “cold” milk
• 1 bag (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 crock pot liner (you get this in the aisle with alum foil, wax paper etc)

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1. Prepare the cake mix using the eggs, oil and water with mixer and then pour into “lined” crock pot
2. Prepare the Jell-O instant pudding per directions using a mixer and then pour this over the cake layer.
3. Now take the 12 oz bag of semi-sweet chips and sprinkle all over the top of the batter
4. Cook in the crock pot on “HIGH” setting for about 2-2 ½ hrs until the cake is moist but not “jiggley” and you see little volcanoes of spitting chocolate on top. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream!!!!

SCREW THE FRICKIN DIET!!

Beef Barley Soup a la Crock Pot

You had a GREAT prime rib dinner…and now, after having the usual sandwich’s the next day, you “still” have leftovers!!!  What is a cook to do???  Hahahaha…you once again, go and get that “favorite” appliance…the crock pot and you gather all the mixin’s below, put it in the pot and cover it for 6-8 hours and you will become the “kitchen goddess” in the eyes of your family or friends!!!  TRUST ME!!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 lbs left over prime rib, with fat cut off and then cut into cubes
• 3 (14 0z) cans beef broth
• 5 cups water
• 1 1/2 c celery (including leaves) chopped
• 1 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1 cup barley
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• some fresh parsley (if you have it hanging around!)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Take the leftover beef and cut away the visible fat, then cube it and put in crock pot.
2. Take all the chopped vegetables, beef broth, water, seasonings, parsley and barley and put into pot.
3. Cover and cook on low setting for 6-8 hours or until vegetables and barley are tender

COULD IT BE ANY EASIER?? And the picture above was taken from my finished product!!!

Beef Burgundy Stew

Beef Burgundy Stew

Beef Burgundy Stew

6 bacon slices, chopped

2 lbs beef stew meat

1 (16 oz) package frozen pearl onions, thawed

1 (8 oz) package fresh mushrooms, quartered

6 small red potatoes quartered ( do not peel)

2 large carrots cut into ½ inch pieces…or, 8-10 baby carrots cut into ½-inch pieces

1 (14 oz) can beef broth

1 cup Burgundy or any bold red wine (red zin is good too!)

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

2 TBS fresh thyme

1 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp black pepper

2 TBS minced garlic from the jar

Directions:

• Cook bacon in a large skillet over med-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon, reserving drippings in pan.  Set bacon aside
• Brown beef in batches in reserved bacon drippings, until browned on all sides
• Combine reserved bacon, beef, onions, and the rest of the ingredients in a 5 Qt slow cooker.  Cover and cook on “LOW” 7 hrs or until beef & vegetables are tender.
• If consistency is too watery, add 1-2 TBS of cornstarch to 2 tsp water, mix and then add to stew.

And the best….a nice corn bread AND a wonderful glass of a Red Zinfandel wine…or, of course, a Negra Modelo beer!!! Again, the choice is ALWAYS yours!!!