Eat Better, Spend Less
Mary Jo's Hamburger and Barley Soup

• 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
  
  
• 1 T beef bouillon granules
  
  
• 1 medium onion salt and pepper to taste
  
  
• 5 cups water
  
  
• 1 t. dried basil
  
  
• 1/3 cup barley
  
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
  
• 3 carrots, sliced into approximately ¼ inch thick rounds
  
  
• 10 oz package of lima beans

Brown ground beef, or turkey, with onion in large soup pot. Drain excess fat. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables and barley are tender, about 45 minutes. Serves 5 or more. Serve with cornbread or your favorite muffin. If you have leftovers heat over medium high heat until soup is very thick, like a casserole mixture. Pour soup into a appropriate size greased casserole dish. Place dollops of biscuit dough on top and bake at 375 degrees until topping is cooked through. Substitute your favorite vegetables, including leftovers, for the carrots and lima beans. Root vegetables and large frozen vegetables should be added at the beginning. Pre-cooked vegetables and small frozen vegetables such as peas and corn should be added during last 15 minutes of cooking, to avoid soggy vegetables.

Total cost is $2.50. Cost is calculated based on prices in Southwest Washington at a "bag your own groceries" type supermarket.

Look for my book "Eat Better, Spend Less". Any feedback or recipe requests can be e-mailed to Julie Davis at inudog@pacifier.com.

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