Make this recipe now; when it is cold and blustery and the idea of soup and buttered bread sounds delish!  This is a hearty soup, I shall warn you, and can be thinned down with broth (vegetable if keeping the recipe vegetarian or chicken if you’d like) the next day or if you like it thinner when serving.  Combine all of the following ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low 6-8 hours:

chopped potatoes (I use Yukon gold)- a small package

one package Steamfresh frozen mixed vegetables

One container V8 juice (42 ounces)

5 cups water

three stalks chopped celery

3 cloves minced garlic (or 1.5 tablespoons if you use the already minced refrigerated variety)

bay leaf

3/4 cup pearled barley

AFTER 6-8 hours of cooking on low, remove the bay leaf and add one can of diced tomatoes with italian herbs.  Cook for additional 15 minutes while you are preparing your garlic bread 😉  This also tastes delicious with add ins like:

oyster crackers

gold fish

mini pretzels

parmesan cheese

ENJOY!  This soup allows for leftovers-yum!!

So I wasn’t thinking and didn’t take pictures, and I need a picture for each blog post….so here is a cute Baby Zachary picture 😉

Stay warm!