Barley Soup

Makes 2 ½ quarts

Ingredients:

2 quarts golden (yellow split pea) broth mixture
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 ¼ cups barley
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

What to do?

If you are making the broth fresh for this soup, add the barley, bay leaf and black pepper to the yellow split pea mixture when you add the hot water, so the barley can cook while the split peas do. Otherwise, cook the barley until tender, along with the bay leaf and black pepper in the broth. The barley will take about an hour and a half to cook. After the first hour and 10 minutes, add the bell pepper and mushrooms and cook for another 20 minutes. Add salt to taste if desired.