Cold Run, Warm Soup
Hi friends!
Tonight, my parents, my sister and I suited up in multiple layers and headed out for a fun but chilly Jingle Bell Jog in downtown Shreveport. It was pretty brisk, but we didn’t mind…we had our antlers to keep us warm!
I thought we were all posing as reindeer. Clearly, not everyone was on board.
This race is always one of my favorites—people sing Christmas carols as you run, and elves and santas run wild.
After finishing the race, we headed home for a nice warm meal: soup! I cooked up a big pot of soup for us to eat after the race, guessing (quite correctly) that we wouldn’t want to cook once we got home.
This soup might seem like a hodge-podge, and it kind of is, but it was also really tasty. Thick, comforting, and perfect for a winter night!
Barley, Root Vegetable, and Mushroom Soup
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves minced
2 carrots, chopped
2 parsnips, chopped
1 rutabaga, peeled and chopped
1 small carton of button mushrooms, quartered
2 tbsp. dried porcini mushrooms, chopped
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 cup barley
6 cups vegetable stock
1 cup red wine
extra water, as needed
salt and pepper for seasoning
Directions:
In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat olive oil. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, until beginning to soften. Add garlic and cook for another two minutes, seasoning generously with salt and pepper. Add the rest of the veggies and the dried mushrooms and cook for about 15 minutes, again seasoning with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste and rosemary and stir until incorporated.
Add barley and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add wine, and bring to a boil once more, allowing to boil for about 3-4 minutes before reducing the heat again to a simmer. Cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed if the soup has become too thick (it will become very thick because of the barley).
Dinner:
Again, this is a GREAT soup for a cold winter’s night! The dried mushrooms and wine made it really flavorful.
Hope you had a great day! G’night!
I’m pretty sure I’m in love with your family. They are awesome.
Haha, I like your reindeer pose! I like the looks of that soup too.
Your pics rock!! The soup, nice.
your family, awesome
You in the reindeer antlers = pricelesssssssss!!!!
Oh my gosh- y’all are too cute! How fun
And very sweet of you to think ahead with the dinner plan. I love a thick soup and parsnips are such a tasty add in. YUM!
Your sister has the best smile! I swear I smile every time I see it! The soup looks perfect! I love how thick and chunky it is! YUM!
haha, love it!! I agree with Sarena, you and your sister have the best smiles!!!
~Michelle
Hahaha that picture of you is awesome. I love the antlers too!
mmmmm, warm soup with barley?! sign me up!
Soup looks great. I never think to add barley to mine.
It makes it so thick!
Love the reindeer face! Every time you go home it makes me so homesick!
Nice reindeer pose! But where are Ginger’s antlers?
She had on a Santa hat! You don’t need BOTH– that’s just tacky.
I really need to get my butt in gear on the soup makin’. I’m slackin’ and it’s so perfect this time of year!
Love the antlers, super cute pics! What a fun race! Oh yum, this soup sounds wonderful, thanks!
Yum! I bet that thick soup was delicious after running around in the cold. I love how soup warms you up!
Ooh, yummy soup recipe!! Will have to try it!
Yay! I love the antlers!