Today I was frustrated with slow Internet and out of date computers. It was raining, so I took my frustrations out in the kitchen instead of the garden. Every time I found myself staring at an unmoving screen, I got up and added something to my soup. I started with the onions I pulled up from the garden yesterday. They were kind of tough, so I put them in my soup pot with some old carrots and celery and garlic laying around my kitchen. I boiled that for a couple hours.
Coming back later I strained out the vegetables and then added the last of some barley that really needed to be used up, and started some challah bread dough. I sautéed some chicken pieces and put them aside to add to my soup at the last minute. When I left to pick up the kids I put the chicken in the fridge, braided my dough and put it up to rise again, and turned my soup off, to turn back on and finish up while baking my bread after getting back home.
It was delicious with a fresh salad and the hot fresh bread.
Chicken Barley Soup:
Your old onions, garlic, ginger, carrots, celery boiled for a couple hours and then strained.
Add a cup of barley and keep simmering for a couple more hours.
Season to taste and add sautéed chunks of chicken.
Simmer for another half hour.
Eat with warm challah bread and salad and leave your computer frustrations behind with the rest of your day.
