Week 209: Mushroom Beef Barley Soup
Happy Thursday!
This is my final menu of 2022 ...I can hardly believe that another year has flown by. This year, especially in comparison to the previous two, was a fun-filled year filled with some big milestones including sending my first child off to college, some amazing family vacations, and the 50th and 60th wedding anniversaries of my parents and in-laws.
At Soup(er), we continue to feed an ever-growing number of families each week. I know that it can be challenging to get your order in, but know that we are working our butts off in the kitchen to feed as many of you as we can ... and sometimes we take on more than is rational! For instance, last week we served over 60 families, making 56 loaves of bread and 4,300 oz of soup (which is more than 34 gallons or 2 kegs worth).
The Soup(er) team, two lovely ladies named Shelley & Dana, truly appreciate that you allow us into your homes to cook dinner for you and your families. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and wish you a happy and healthy New Year!!
On the menu for TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13th is MUSHROOM BEEF BARLEY SOUP with ITALIAN SUPERMARKET BREAD. This flavorful soup is filled with mushrooms, barley and slow cooked beef that will melt in your mouth; it's pure comfort food in a bowl!
The soup begins with cooking a little bit of bacon in the pot ... just enough to start the soup off right . Once the bacon is crispy, the beef is added and seared to enhance its flavor. Next, carrots, onions, celery, garlic and mushrooms are added.
Once softened, fresh thyme, smoked paprika, and reconstituted dried mushrooms are added along with homemade chicken stock, balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and brought to a boil. The soup simmers for a few hours, until the meat is fork tender. Pearled barley is added towards the end of cooking to add a chewy bite and it's garnished with fresh parsley.
The bread companion this week is my ITALIAN SUPERMARKET BREAD. Just like the name says ... it's a fresh loaf of bread that tastes like the loaves of Italian bread you used to be able to pick up from the supermarket. It has a crispy exterior with a nice chewy bite and is coated in sesame seeds. It is simple, but tastes anything but.
On the menu for dessert at HOT CHOCOLATE COOKIES. These gooey cookies are a chocolate lover's dream! They are chocolate based cookies that are chewy around the edges, soft in the middle, and taste like the perfect mug of hot chocolate. They have a big gooey marshmallow with a chunk of melted dark chocolate underneath! ~ Jenny from Jenny Sue Delights
And looking forward, Soup(er) Delivery will be taking some time off to celebrate the holidays and hang out with our college-aged kids home for the break. The first menu of 2023 will be on TUESDAY, JANUARY 10th.