Memories of My Mom's Chicken Barley Soup for a Mother's Day Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

It's Mother's Day and I'm in Oregon. This is the second Mother's Day without my mom and with the day being so close to when she passed away, I confess to timing my visit to be able to hang out with my family thinking that it might be easier than last year. And it has been--we've laughed, we've been sad, my sisters and I took flowers to the cemetery for my mom and dad, we've eaten a bunch, and we are all going to my sister's place to celebrate the day. Two of my nieces are pregnant, another has a baby I haven't met yet and a preschooler that I haven't seen since since I was here two years ago. Life goes on and as much as I miss my mom, I do know she would be happy that most of us will be together today. 

If your mother is still with you, hug her or call her and tell her you love her today. If you can't, then take some time to think about her and know that my thoughts are with you and that I send you a virtual hug.

Since I didn't make soup this week so I thought I'd bring you my mom's Chicken Barley Soup from a post in February 2009 and another visit to Oregon. My mom loved soup and made it often, chicken barley was her favorite to make and eat. It's a simple, soup but the perfect comfort food from a really great mom.

 

Chicken Barley Soup

by my Mom, Betty

(Makes 8 servings)

8 cups chicken stock or broth (homemade--like Mom, or use use a good low sodium broth)

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped or grated

1 large yellow onion, chopped finely

4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 tsp dried parsley 

1 bay leaf

1 tsp salt (or to taste)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 1/4 cup pearl barley

1 cup or more cooked chicken breast, cubed

Heat stock to boiling and add vegetables and seasonings. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Stir in barley and cook as package directs (about 45 minutes), stirring occasionally until barley is tender. Add chicken and heat 5 minutes until warmed through. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

 

Notes/Results: As I said in the original post, this soup is delicious healthy and warming, perfect for a winter's lunch in Portland. This soup is chock full of veggies, potatoes, chicken and lots of barley. If you are not a barley fan or like a "brothier" soup, you can reduce the amount of the barley you put in.

  

We have a couple of delicious dishes waiting this week in the Souper Sundays kitchen--let's have a look!

My friend Simona of Briciole shared a Roasted Chicken, Asparagus, and Avocado Salad and said, "The recipe I am sharing is the result of a combination of events: I had leftovers asparagus, besides leftovers from the roast chicken described above and I was by myself. The result was so good that I made the salad again the following day, grateful that the chicken³ had been large enough to provide me leftovers for another salad. If you are vegetarian, substitute the chicken with something that fits your preferences."

 
Louise of Soup, Soup, Glorious Soup joined in this week with Black Bean Soup with Cashew Cream and Coriander and said, "I've never had black bean soup that I can remember, so I wasn't sure how this soup should really taste. Indeed black beans haven't really been easily available in Australia until this year, but now tinned black beans are available at the supermarket. Master Soup deemed it to be like liquid burritos, and it basically was."

 
Mahalo to Simona and Louise for joining me this week! 

Souper Sundays is back with a new format of a picture link each week where anyone interested can post their soups, salads, or sandwiches any time during the week and I post a recap of the entries the following week.)

(If you aren't familiar with Souper Sundays, you can read about of the origins of it here. 

If you would like to join in Souper (Soup, Salad, and Sammie) Sundays, I would love to have you! Here's how...

To join in this week's linkup with your soup, salad or sandwich:

• Link up your soup (stew, chili, soupy curries, etc. are fine), salad, or sandwich dish, (preferably one from the current week or month--but we'll take older posts too) on the picture link below and leave a comment on this post so I am sure not to miss you.

On your entry post (on your blog):

• please mention Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen and link back to this post.
• you are welcome to add the Souper Sundays logo to your post and/or blog (optional).

An InLinkz Link-up

Happy Mother's Day to all of the moms and moms-to-be and mom-like people out there. 

Have a happy, healthy week.