Hearty Beef and Barley Soup

2/3 cup barley

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb. stew meat, cut into small cubes

1 onion, diced

1 (15oz. can) Black beans, drained and rinsed

1(46 oz. can) V-8 juice

1 quart beef stock

10 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 head roasted garlic, pulp squeezed out

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp salt and pepper

1 (9oz. package) frozen mixed vegetables

7 oz. shredded white cheddar cheese

3 cups fresh baby spinach

2 cups heavy cream

Heat a large pot with olive oil and brown the beef in small batches. Add the onions, mushrooms, garlic, paprika, black pepper, salt and celery and saute until fragrant. Pour in the V-8 juice, beef stock, barley, and  black beans. Simmer until flavors have married. Adjust the salt and pepper. Stir in the heavy cream, cheese and baby spinach. Heat until cheese is melted.

Chicken Cobbler with Chipotle Cheddar Biscuit Crust – Comfort food at its best.

Chicken Cobbler with Chipotle Cheddar Biscuit Crust

Chicken Cobbler:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 carrots, peeled and diced

3 stalks celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion, diced

1 chipotle pepper, minced

3 1/2 cups chicken stock, 1/2 cup reserved

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 lbs. cooked , chopped chicken

1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach

1 cup frozen peas

salt and pepper; to taste

 

Chipotle Cheddar Biscuit Crust:

2 1/3 cups flour

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tablespoon Chipotle powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tsp. cream of tarter

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

2 cups packed shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

Kosher salt for topping

 

Chicken Cobbler:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a saucepan add the butter and olive oil, heat until butter is melted. Add the onion and saute until softened. Add the carrots, garlic and celery and cooked until fragrant. Add 3 cups chicken stock, and chipotle pepper, simmer until vegetable are crisp tender. Whisk together the flout and 1/2 cup reserved chicken stock. Stir into simmer vegetable mixture; cook until it begins to thicken. Stir in the chicken, peas and spinach. Add salt and pepper; to taste. Pour mixture into a baking dish about 9×10 in size; set aside.

Chipotle Cheddar Biscuit Crust:

In a bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese. Add in the buttermilk and beaten egg. Stir until ingredients are just combined. Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop the dough over the top of the cobbler mixture. Sprinkle tops of dough lightly with kosher salt. Bake for about 35 minutes or until biscuits are cooked through and cobbler in bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.

Chicken Cobbler:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 carrots, peeled and diced

3 stalks celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 onion, diced

1 chipotle pepper, minced

3 1/2 cups chicken stock, 1/2 cup reserved

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 lbs. cooked , chopped chicken

1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach

1 cup frozen peas

salt and pepper; to taste

 

Chipotle Cheddar Biscuit Crust:

2 1/3 cups flour

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tablespoon Chipotle powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 tsp. cream of tarter

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into pieces

2 cups packed shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

Kosher salt for topping

 

Chicken Cobbler:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a saucepan add the butter and olive oil, heat until butter is melted. Add the onion and saute until softened. Add the carrots, garlic and celery and cooked until fragrant. Add 3 cups chicken stock, and chipotle pepper, simmer until vegetable are crisp tender. Whisk together the flout and 1/2 cup reserved chicken stock. Stir into simmer vegetable mixture; cook until it begins to thicken. Stir in the chicken, peas and spinach. Add salt and pepper; to taste. Pour mixture into a baking dish about 9×10 in size; set aside.

Chipotle Cheddar Biscuit Crust:

In a bowl whisk together the dry ingredients. Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese. Add in the buttermilk and beaten egg. Stir until ingredients are just combined. Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop the dough over the top of the cobbler mixture. Sprinkle tops of dough lightly with kosher salt. Bake for about 35 minutes or until biscuits are cooked through and cobbler in bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5 minutes before serving.