Valentine lunch with some girl friends.

I had a group of my girl friends over for lunch yesterday. We lingered longer and laughed louder. So fun.

We had Mushroom Barley soup to warm us up from the cold. Yummy salad, bread and Chocolate church mouse cake with raspberries sauce. I also made some yummy fudge for them to take home. But we stayed so long we opened that up and eat it.

Mushroom Barley Soup

Barb Elder

A slightly thickened old-fashioned soup that is light and creamy and beautifully balanced in taste and texture.

8 oz fresh mushrooms                      1 c. whipping cream or half & half

1 large leek (white part only),          3 Tbsp. butter

2 stalks celery, chopped                    1 onion

4 c. chicken broth                                 1/3 c. pearl barley

¼ c. chopped parsley                           1 bay leaf

½ tsp. dried thyme                                ½ tsp. salt

Pepper to taste                                      1 potato, peeled and diced

Sauté mushrooms, leek, celery and onion with butter in a medium soup pot, over low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, but not brown, about 20 minutes. Add chicken broth and barley and bring to a boil. Stir in parsley, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add diced potato. Cover and simmer, for 30 minutes longer. Remove bay leaf. Stir in cream and correct seasonings. May be refrigerated for up to 2 days. May be frozen. Reheat before serving. Serves 6