More soup?... this time it's Beefed Up (or not) Mushroom Barley

12+" trout from Georgetown Lake

Spoiler: A link to my best Mushroom Barley Soup recipe can be found below.

Okay, if anyone is reading my posts (and I question that), I have to apologize for getting off the urban farming track for, once again, a soup recipe. I just can't help myself.

I had the most amazing weekend with some girlfriends. We spent the night at a rustic cabin on five wooded acres in the Rockies. It's near the Georgetown Cemetery and I go up there every chance I get.  On this trip I, my ghost hunting friend Callea and two ghost hunting "virgin" friends gathered to investigate the cemetery and cabin during the Super Moon and Triple Portal. The weather was amazing up there for May, very clear, warm and sunny. We couldn't ask for better. I fished for a short time on Georgetown Lake and caught two gorgeous trout, which I brought home and cooked for dinner last night. Sunday morning we cleaned up the cabin and headed home.

It's now Monday and I woke up this morning to chilly temperatures and rain, which is rare and very welcome in Colorado. The cooler temps and clouds make me want to cook soup for dinner. So, like I said, I can't help myself.

Leftovers

When we have leftover steak (or chicken, turkey or pork) I tend to freeze it rather than reheat for not-so-exciting leftovers. Then later on I use it for soup, stew or green chili. Today I cleaned out the freezer and found a nice piece of frozen steak. It was marinated in one of my favorite concoctions and so decided that mushroom barley soup with beef would be on tonight's menu.

I once read that you could call yourself a gourmet cook if you can make a delicious and satisfying meal from whatever you have on hand -- no trips to the grocery store. Another confession. I am now so old (and have been cooking for most of my life) that I know what tastes good together. But I do love creating something new from what's available. I think my hero, Thomas Edison, would have liked me. And I'm starting to wonder if this blog is really about urban farming, or simply food. Food to grow, food to cook, food to eat. Am I a foodie or an urban farmer? I think they just go together naturally. Whatever you call me, my recipe can be found here.