Beef and Barley Soup with Grandma's White Bread
This week, we are featuring long-time volunteer Nancy Harvey's Beef and Barley Soup. Why not enjoy a bowl with a couple of slices of Grandma's White Bread? Bread recipe provided by Mary Knoppe.
Beef and Barley Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 pounds beef short ribs
- 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
- 3 large carrots, sliced
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 28 oz. can of whole tomatoes with liquid, chopped
- 2 quarts of water
- 4 chicken bouillon cubes
- 1/2 cup pearl barley
Directions:
- In a large Dutch oven or kettle, heat oil over medium-high. Brown beef. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours or until beef is tender. Add barley and simmer another 50-60 minutes or until the barley is done.
Grandma's White Bread (makes two loaves)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups milk, scalded (see instructions below)
- 1 cup water, boiled and cooled
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 packets dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 1/2 tablespoon sugar
- 6 cups all purpose flour (plus up to 2 cups more for kneading)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat milk, butter, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon salt in microwave oven for about two minutes, about 175 degrees. Add 1 cup boiled water. Allow to cool to about 100 degrees.
- In a 2 cup Pyrex measuring glass, dissolve the 3 packets yeast in ½ cup warm water with ½ tablespoon of sugar. Allow yeast to sit for 15-20 minutes. (You will have close to 2 cups of bubbling mixture).
- Combine with milk mixture in bowl of a heavy-duty mixer. Add about 4 cups flour, mix with a spoon. Then, using the dough hook of mixer, continue to add flour 1 cup at a time, or until dough climbs the hook and loses its stickiness. Turn onto countertop and lightly knead by hand. (Total kneading time, including mixer, is about 10 minutes).
- Place dough into a bowl that has been greased with Crisco or Pam, turn so the dough has been coated with the fat. Cover with a clean towel and put in a warm place for up 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Grease two bread loaf pans (8.5” by 4.5”). Divide dough in half, knead out excess air, and put into bread pans, again turning dough so the fat coats the dough.
- Cover again with the towel and let rise for about another hour.
- Brush the loaves with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter before baking. This makes an extra crisp crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
- Remove the bread from the pans, put it back into the oven for 10 more minutes. Cool on rack.
