Tag: onion

The Best Beef and Barley Soup

One of my all time favorite foods, whether its cold outside and you want some cold weather food, or some comfort food is Beef and Barley Soup. I love this soup and it’s really simple to make.

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into one inch cubes

1 tsp salt, divided

1 1/2 tsp pepper, divided

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

3 carrots, sliced

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tbsp tomato paste

8 cups chicken broth or stock, divided

1 small bunch thyme

2 bay leaves

6 peppercorns

3/4 cup pearled barley

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

(optional – fresh parsley for garnishing)

directions:

  1. Add the vegetable oil to a Dutch oven and warm up over medium high heat.
  2. Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper and season the steak.
  3. Cook the steak in small batches, and brown the steak on all sides (1-2 minutes).
  4. While the steak is cooking cut up your vegetables (onion, celery and carrots) and set aside.
  5. After each batch of steak is cooked remove and set aside.
  6. Add your cut up vegetables to the Dutch oven and sprinkle the remaining salt and pepper (1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp pepper) and cook for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables brown.
  7. After 4-5 minutes add your chopped garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, then remove all vegetables and set aside.
  8. Add 2 Tbsp tomato paste to the Dutch oven and brown for 1-2 minutes.
  9. Add 1 cup of chicken broth to the Dutch oven and stir to deglaze the Dutch oven, then add 2 more cups of chicken broth and the beef.
  10. Take a small piece of cheesecloth and add in your thyme, 2 bay leaves, and 6 peppercorns. Tie up the cheesecloth into a small cachet and add to the soup, and simmer with a lid on it for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
  11. After 1 hour 15 minutes remove the lid and add 2 more cups of broth and vegetables, and the barley. Cook for 30-40 minutes. Add the remaining broth or water as needed.
  12. After 30-40 minutes your soup is ready to serve.
  13. Enjoy!

The Best Homemade Beef and Barley Soup

You can purchase a Dutch oven to make your own Beef and Barley soup at Amazon.

Amazon Basics Enameled Cast Iron Covered Round Dutch Oven, 6-Quart, White

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure policy.

Homemade French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup is a favorite in my family.  In fact, one of my daughters always loves to have it for her birthday.  One of the best places to get it was a restaurant in Fort Collins, Colorado called Canino’s.  The restaurant recently closed after more than 40 years of business when the owner retired, but I can still taste that soup every time I think of it.  French Onion soup is surprising simple to make and you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry.  So, let’s get out the onions and make some soup!

Ingredients:

½ cup unsalted butter

4 Onions, sliced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 bay leaves

2 fresh thyme sprigs

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp kosher salt

1 cup red wine

3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 quarts beef broth

1 baguette, sliced

½ pound grated Gruyere cheese

Directions:

  1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes. 
  3. Add wine and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated (about 5 minutes)
  4. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
  5. Dust the onions with flour and give them a stir.  Turn the heat down to medium low and cook for about 5 minutes. 
  6. Add beef broth and bring back to a simmer for 10 minutes.
  7. Salt and Pepper to taste.
  8. Preheat the broiler and arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and cover with the gruyere and broil until bubbly and brown.
  9. Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.
  10. Enjoy!
Homemade French Onion Soup

You can purchase a Dutch oven to make French Onion Soup at Amazon.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure policy.

Authentic Mexican Restaurant Style Salsa

Chips and salsa are one of America’s favorite snacks.  We like to eat them at restaurants, on Taco Tuesday’s, as snacks during the big game or other sporting events.  There is nothing better than fresh homemade salsa and once you try this recipe for authentic Mexican restaurant style salsa you will never buy salsa at the store again.

Ingredients
28 ounce can of whole tomatoes

3 small cloves garlic

1 tsp salt

½ tsp cumin

1 loosely packed cup of cilantro

½ white onion

1 jalapeno

Juice from one lime

Directions:

  1. Add all ingredients to food processor or blender.
  2. Pulse blend to achieve desired amount of smoothness or chunkiness.
  3. Enjoy!

Authentic Mexican Restaurant Style Salsa

How to make home made Philly Cheesesteaks

My favorite sandwich is are Philly Cheesesteaks, I order them at any restaurant that I go to that serves them. In Charleston my favorite places to eat Philly Cheesesteaks are at the Southside 17 Bar & Grill, and also YE OLE FASHIONED CAFE & ICE CREAM in West Ashley.

They are a classic sandwich and loved by so many people. Follow along to make an amazing Philly Cheesesteak with chopped steak, gooey cheese, onions, and peppers.

Ingredients:

2 pounds steak
2 onions
4 cloves garlic
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
3 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Sliced Mushrooms (Optional)
Hoagie Rolls
slices of provolone cheese

Directions:

  1. Slice the onions so that you have long slices of onion. Place in a bowl.
  2. Slice the red and green peppers into long strips and place in a bowl.
  3. Dice up the garlic and place in the bowl with the onions and peppers.
  4. Chop steak into small pieces. You can do this by slicing the steak into slices and then rotate the cut slices and cut again into smaller pieces. Rotate the cut slices again, and cut again. Keep repeating until the steak is cut into tiny pieces about 1/4 inch in size or smaller. Set aside the cut meat.
  5. Melt 2 tbsp of onion into your pre-heated pan. Pour the sliced vegetables into a preheated pan and cook until the vegetables are soft and cooked through.
  6. Add chopped meat to the pan of vegetables and continue cooking.
  7. Add the salt and pepper to the meat and vegetables.
  8. When the meat is about 2/3 cooked you can add mushrooms if you want. This is optional since not everyone likes mushrooms.
  9. Cook until all liquid from the vegetables has evaporated form the pan and the meat is cooked through.
  10. Once meat is cooked through remove the meat and place in a bowl and set aside.
  11. Rinse the pan and add melt 1 1/2 tbsp butter in the pan. Once butter is melted add your hoagie buns and cook on both sides until lightly toasted. Then remove hoagie buns and set aside.
  12. In the same pan, add enough meat and vegetables back into the pan to fill one hoagie bun. (Approximately 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the meat and vegetable mixture). Then add slices of provolone cheese on top of the mix mixture and cook until the cheese is melted.
  13. Once the cheese is melted you can remove the meat mixture from the plan and place on top of the hogie buns.
  14. Enjoy your philly cheesesteak!
How to make home made Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches