Kids Cooking and Cookbook Blog Site

Soup is a good hearty meal, or part of a meal, in most any season. However, when the wind is blowing and the snow is falling, as it is today, I like to make soup and enjoy its comfort and warmth.

Here is a soup from Amy Houts’ new cookbook for children, Cooking Around the Country With Kids: USA Regional Recipes and Fun Activities. In her book, Amy concentrates on food from each region of the US. It is a cookbook that lets children really engage in the history of the United States through the food of a particular region.

This recipe, Beef-Barley Soup, comes from the Mountain States section. Amy writes: “The Mount States grow barley, a wonderful addition to vegetable soup.”

Beef-Barley Soup

1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
6 cups water
1 cup medium barley
1 (16 oz.) chopped tomatoes, with juice
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large (4-quart) pot, cook ground beef over medium heat; drain grease. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

Children can measure water and barley, parsley, salt and pepper. Adult can this to pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down heat to low, cover and simmer about an hour.
Serves 6-8

For more information about this book and other books for children, see: http://www.imagesunlimitedpub.com. Thanks!

Lee Jackson
Family and Consumer Living Coach