Mushroom Barley Soup

A new favorite in our house—and it's even a healthy one. Serve with rustic bread. (recipe from my sister Carolyn, adapted from allrecipes.com)

1/4 cup olive oil
one medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 packages sliced baby bella mushrooms (20 oz total), or other mushrooms
2 large boxes chicken broth (8 cups)
1 cup pearled barley
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil over medium, then saute onion, carrots, celery and garlic until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes, stirring, until slightly softened.

Add 7 cups of the chicken broth (I don't usually measure exactly here) and the barley, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook on low, covered, until the barley is tender, about 50 minutes or so. Season with salt and pepper and adjust thickness with more chicken broth to taste.

*I add more broth to the batch of soup I'm freezing. Remember to leave a little room in the container for expansion.