All the Christmas decorations are put away but I keep the sparkle of the holidays around during the cold to keep the warmth of the season going until we start to make the turn toward spring! Winter garland and twinkle lights still adorn my windowsills and the scent of cookies still fill my home. Since it is sooooooo cold outside and my boy and his girl are coming for lunch, I wanted to share a family favorite with you!
This is our “ski” soup that took us through many ski trips to Mammoth Mountain. Every year I would cook it at home and pack it in the cooler for the 6 hour drive and 4 day ski trip. It warmed our tummies and our souls after a day on the mountain. If any of you ski, you know how you feel after 6-8 hours of exerting yourself in the cold!
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs lean ground beef (I use 90% lean – you can also use ground turkey), 3 cans beef broth, 4 cups water, 1 large can (28oz) whole or stewed tomatoes, 1 large can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 medium onion chopped, 5 carrots sliced, 2 cups celery chopped, 1/3 cup pearl barley, 2 cups frozen corn, 1/4 cup catsup, salt and pepper to taste, olive oil to sauté, cayenne to your desired “heat” (1/2 teaspoon to start and go from there)!
In a large soup pot, sauté the onion in olive oil until transparent. Add the ground beef and cook until browned.
Add the beef broth, water, sliced carrots, chopped celery, UNDRAINED cans of tomatoes, pearl barley, catsup, and spices. Reserve the frozen corn until later. Bring to boil (stirring) then reduce heat and simmer for about 45 minutes (until veggies are tender). Add the frozen corn and simmer for another 15 minutes. Serve with your favorite bread! Simple, fast and hearty!
Tip: if you don’t own one of the little slicers, get yourself one. It takes no time to slice carrots, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, whatever your heart desires!
Today I served the soup with cornbread – here is the recipe I used! Moist and sweet!
Ingredients: 2 boxes of the famous little Jiffy cornbread mix, 1 (14oz) can creamed corn, milk, eggs, Pam! Follow the directions on the box of Jiffy! I substituted the milk with half and half, and you need to bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean!
As an appetizer I served wheat crackers and a log of sharp cheddar cheese and a bottle of red wine!
Ok, three more things that I want to say ~ (1) Girls, always, always wash your wine glasses before you pour the wine! We want them free of anything (dust) and we want them sparkling clean!
(2) I was wondering if any of you recognize the bake ware in this post, from the 80’s? (Cheryl’s been Loafin’ and Cheryl’s Classic Creation). Who remembers the home parties for this particular bake ware that you would order with whatever “saying” you wanted on it! Remember the lovely blues and mauves? YUCK! I can’t remember the name of the cookware, but they swore up and down that nothing would EVER stick to it (it was expensive – for a twenty-something in their first home and baby on the way)….but the demonstration sold me, and the colors were so “in” at the time!!!
IT HAS BEEN OVER 20 YEARS AND NOTHING HAS EVER STUCK TO THIS BAKEWARE!!!!! THAT IS WHY I STILL OWN IT AND USE IT ALL THE TIME. BLUE AND MAUVE OR NOT, IT IS THE BEST BAKE WARE EVER!!!!
LET ME KNOW IF YOU ALSO OWN THESE LOVLIES AND IF YOU REMEMBER THE NAME OF IT AND THE HOME PARTIES!!! What do yours say????
Drum roll please ……………………………………………………………….
and (3) introducing my new GrandPuppy, Bella!!!!!!!!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE a spotted little belly ……
AND A LITTLE ATTITUDE TO BOOT!
Have a beautiful week! ~ Cheryl
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