It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s! Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me. I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers. So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy. It might be a main course recipe from my own kitchen or a guest author favorite. It could be a cookie or baked item. Candy. Salads. Whatever strikes the eye and fancy…which today is CROCKPOT BEEF & BARLEY SOUP!

I wasn’t sure what to share this week until a Facebook friend asked me about the soup I threw together in my crockpot earlier this week. She hadn’t found a beef & barley soup that she liked. Of course, my family loves my soups. I just don’t have recipes for them! I tend to throw things together, what my family calls my icebox soups, using the basics of whatever I have in the refrigerator. This week, it was round steak that was unchewable despite my husband’s best efforts with the electric tenderizer. Anyway, I chopped it up and threw it in the crockpot with a bunch of other ingredients and, voila, beef and barley soup. My husband’s favorite! After my friend asked for the recipe, I had to think a bit on what I’d done so I’m saving it here for everyone so I remember what I did. My soups do tend to be different every time. LOL

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s. Happy eating!

Karen

P.S. We’re at 688 recipes and counting with this posting. I hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. You can even look up past recipes by type in the right-hand column menu. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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CROCKPOT BEEF & BARLEY SOUP
[Serves 6]

Toss in a crockpot:

1 to 1-1/2 lbs. beef (I used round steak but you can use stew meat) cut into small cubes

1 cup barley
3 15-oz cans beef broth
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot (or handful baby carrots) chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp thyme leaves
2 T parsley

2-3 T brown gravy mix (I have a container in my seasonings cabinet for a bit of oomph in recipes, not to make gravy, better than using bouillon)

1-1/2 tsp. Cavender’s Greek Seasoning*

Bay Leaf (I didn’t have any but didn’t miss it today)

salt & pepper to taste (can always add more later after you taste it)

*I LOVE Cavender’s Greek Seasoning. It’s a staple in my seasoning cabinet. I bought it specifically for my potato salad, but I use it in all sorts of other things. I highly recommend.

In my crockpot on high, at 9 AM it was done by 2 PM. I ended up turning if off so it wouldn’t scorch. If you want to cook it all day, you might have to play with the timing if you can’t watch it. Taste it before serving. If you want more seasoning, try sprinkling more Cavender’s first, a little at a time, stirring and tasting after each time.

This is a thick, hearty soup. If you like thinner soup (sacrilege according to my husband), you can add more broth. Don’t recommend water as it dilutes the flavors.

If you want to add another tablespoon of brown gravy sauce (for thickening, shouldn’t need it, but…) after it’s been cooking awhile, you’ll want to whisk it with a little cold water until smooth. Adding it directly into the hot soup will clump.

Happy Eating!