While this Crock Pot mushroom barley soup recipe was created specifically to be made on erev Shabbat for Shabbat lunch, it’s a delicious, flavorful soup for any winter day! It’s such a comforting, filling soup that’s a childhood favorite of mine, although I’ve added my own spin.

Want a gluten free option for Shabbat lunch? Try crock pot meat and potatoes with this gluten free cholent recipe!

I like to add beef chunks since we eat it as the main dish, however you can omit to keep it vegan. With meat, it turns into a robust full meal. You can also add a small amount of carrot chunks if you want more vegetable, however we enjoy it without. It’s one of my favorite Shabbat lunch ideas for cold winter days.

This crock pot mushroom barley soup recipe calls for cooking your soup overnight. This is because I prep it on Friday morning or afternoon for Shabbat (Saturday) lunch. The barley gets very soft but does not fall apart and the flavor is very deep. However, you can also simply cook it on the stove top, in a regular pot, until the beef and barley is fully cooked. Or, put it up in the morning for dinner.

I like to sauté my onions and mushrooms first, however you can skip that step.

And while I never bother to sear my meat, you can if you prefer it that way. I found that it stays very moist in soup.

This recipe makes a 4.5 quart crock pot that can easily serve six, depending on portion size. When my husband and I are eating it as a meal, we use about a third, considering generous portion sizes.

If you’re filling a larger crock pot, increase yoru quantities proportionately. I did not provide a cup measurement for the water, so you it goes by pot size. And finally, since this is a very non-scientific recipe, feel free to replace some of my water for broth for added flavor!

Crock pot mushroom barley soup is a very forgiving recipe:

You can put less barley, leave out the barley, replace it with brown rice or cauliflower for a gluten free version.

You can put more or less mushrooms, depending how you like it. I use basic sliced white mushrooms to keep it basic and cheap, but you can switch up your varieties.

And while I kept the seasoning to those that are very common, I’ve also played around with my favorite Trader Joe’s seasoning mixes including:

• Mushroom umami – deepens the flavor
• Onion salt – I use this like some would use soup mixes, in large quantities
• Chili lime – to add a unique twist

Or just stick to lots of onion and garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika.

Ingredients needed to make Mushroom Barley Soup in the Slow Cooker:

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 16 oz. sliced mushrooms
• About a lb of cubed stew beef
• 1/2 cup barley (this is a moderate amount – if you like it very starchy, you can add 3/4 cup or more)
• Water to fill or broth

Seasoning:

• 1 T salt
• 1 t. black pepper
• 1 T onion powder
• 1 T garlic powder
• 1 T paprika

Equipment:

• 4.5 Qt. slow cooker – You don’t need anything fancy! I got this classic manual one at Target and have used it for a couple of years with a timer going off at intervals when I keep it on overnight.
• Wooden spatula or mixing spoon
• Optional: frying pan

How to make crock pot mushroom barley soup

1. First, chop your onion.

2. Let a little bit of olive oil heat at the bottom of the crock pot on high, and sauté your onions. Note: if you want to make this a one-dish recipe, start this earlier and sauté in the crock pot. To expedite it a little, pop the insert into the oven (double check your slow cooker’s oven safeness). To expedite it more, sauté it in a frying pan first, or skip sautéing- it’ll soften plenty.

3. Rinse your mushrooms well and add them to the crock pot once your onions have softened somewhat. I like to allow the mushrooms to sauté as well, just to keep the flavor alive.

4. Add your beef and mix well.

5. Add your seasoning.

6. Add the barley. Mix everything together.

7. Cover the ingredients with water up to an inch from the top. You can use broth too if you’d like (I just season it well instead).

8. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low overnight. You can also start it on high for 2-3 hours just so that it starts cooking quicker and then switch it to low. As I mentioned, it’s a forgiving recipe…

Your crock pot mushroom barley soup is ready to eat and enjoy. What will you be making yours for? Comment below! Printable version at the end of this post.

Yield: 6-8

Mushroom Barley Soup in the Slow Cooker

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

This easy mushroom barley soup is an incredibly forgiving recipe and easy to get right. With optional beef added, it's the perfect main dish for a freezing winter Shabbat lunch, or a hearty one-pot dinner.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 16 oz. sliced mushrooms
• 1 lb of cubed stew beef
• 1/2 cup barley (this is a moderate amount – if you like it very starchy, you can add 3/4 cup or more)
• Water to fill or broth

Seasoning:

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 T salt
• 1 t. black pepper
• 1 T onion powder
• 1 T garlic powder
• 1 T paprika

Equipment

Toggle ingredient group

• 4.5 Qt. slow cooker
• Wooden spatula or mixing spoon
• Optional: frying pan

Instructions

1. Sauté your onion (optional). When translucent, add your mushroom and allow it to sauté a little as well. Skip if you want this to go quicker. You can sauté in the slow cooker on high, in the slow cooker insert in the oven, or in a frying pan on the stove top.
2. Add your beef, barley, and seasoning and mix.
3. Cover with water or broth up to one inch from the top.
4. Cook on high for four hours or low overnight.

Notes

• For food safety reasons, you may prefer to start it on high, so it cooks quicker.

• It's a forgiving recipe - don't worry too much about cook times, etc.

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The post Crock Pot Mushroom Barley Soup appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

This list of indoor activities for kids is not your typical list of screen-free things to do, like play with kinetic sand or bake cookies. While craft ideas for children are super popular, I wanted something a little different. This list is aimed at getting kids to move more, even if they’re stuck indoors.

Kids generally have a lot of energy, and being cooped up inside is fun for nobody- not your kids and most certainly not you! These exciting things to do inside will definitely help you deal with excess energy and boredom.

13 Indoor Activities for Kids

1. Scavenger Hunt

For a super fun activity, set up a scavenger hunt. You can gear it to any age, younger kids (draw pictures for clues) or older kids and teens! For maximum physical activity, plan the route with clues that lead them the furthest distances in between each clue, all over the house.

2. Dance!

Probably one of my favorite things to do with my kids is to turn up the music and dance. It’s an excellent mood booster and gets everyone’s blood pumping!

3. Dance Party for One

When no one else is around to dance with your little ones, or you have other things to take care of, set up this awesome dance mat. This is a great way to get your kids moving and having fun indoors!

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4. Twister

Who doesn’t love this classic game of bending yourself into knots? I especially love this game because it’s the perfect way to keep busy on a Shabbos afternoon.

5. The Floor is Lava

You can use props around your house for this one or make it easy with this version of this super popular game. It’s a sure way to have the kids jumping all over the place. (And then they get to clean up afterward!)

6. Stepping Stones

These fun stepping stones are designed to get your child to move and jump and play, while using their imagination. You can use these for The Floor is Lava too!

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7. Mini Trampoline

A mini trampoline is great to keep indoors for both little kids and big kids to get a good daily workout.

8. Jump Rope

Good ol’ fashioned jump rope is another awesome activity (in the basement!) for your kids. One kid alone can challenge himself to beat his own record, or a few kids can play together.

9. Yoga Activity Blocks

I love that this indoor activity is a little different than the others. It’s a great way to promote balance, focus and of course, movement. There are so many options for various poses that your kids will remain occupied for a while!

10. Ninja Warrior

For the really adventurous, why not set up a Ninja Warrior style course in your playroom for your kids to climb? There are some great ideas on Pinterest for you to check out.

11. Hopscotch Mat

If your kids love making a Hopscotch course with chalk outdoors in the summer, they’ll love this indoor version! You can also make your own with painters’ tape.

12. Indoor Jungle Gym

These tumbling toys are perfect for toddlers and young children. Your kids will love climbing on them, over them and all around!

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13. Pogo Jumper

This is another indoor activity that’s probably best relegated to the basement, but it sure is fun for kids. They learn how to balance themselves and get great movement while doing so.

How do you keep your children busy indoors while promoting movement? Comment below!

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The post 13 Indoor Activities for Kids to Encourage Movement appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

I tend to stay away from vegetable soups that get all their flavor from added boxed broths or consomme. Instead, I like to find ways to develop rich flavors on my own. In this butternut squash soup, I chose to roast the butternut squash and apples to caramelize them and bring out their sweetness, so that the soup has layers of delicious flavor.

If you read the title of this blog post fully, you’ll notice that there’s farro in this soup. While totally optional, I highly recommend you add it in. Farro is a delicious grain with a slightly chewy texture. When added to soup, it turns it from a simple vegetable soup to a thick, filling bowl of comfort food.

If you like to garnish your soups, reserve the seeds from the butternut squash when you peel and cube it. Rinse and dry the seeds well. Drizzle a little olive oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper over the seeds and roast them at 375 for about 8 minutes- watch them well so that they don’t burn!

For a printable version of this butternut squash soup recipe, scroll to the end of this post.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Farro

What you need to make this Butternut Squash Soup Recipe:

• 1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
• 2 apples, peeled and sliced
• 3 TBSP olive oil
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 TBSP canola or vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 onions, peeled and diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 cube frozen ginger
• 1/8 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup farro, rinsed
• 10 cups water

How to make this Butternut Squash Soup Recipe:

1, Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, Scatter cubed butternut squash and apples on prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for approximately 40 minutes, or until squash and apples start to brown and caramelize.

2. While squash is roasting, prepare vegetables to saute. Heat canola oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add diced onions and saute for 5-10 minutes, until translucent. Add minced garlic and ginger and saute an additional 2 minutes. Add carrots and saute until softened. Season generously with kosher salt and ground black pepper.

3. Pour in white wine and deglaze the bottom of the pot.

4. Add roasted squash and apples and any released juices to pot. Add farro, then water. Mix well. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat to simmer, and allow to cook for 30 minutes.

5. Using an immersion blender, blend soup to desired consistency. (We like it slightly chunky.) Taste and add salt if needed. Serve hot and enjoy!

What’s your go-to soup on a cold, wintry day?

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The post Hearty, Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Farro appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

A soup bar makes an amazing Chanukah party if you prefer meat over the traditional dairy. Not only is soup so comforting in the winter, but it’s affordable and easy to make.It can also work for Sheva Brachos (you can have a soup bar on the side, with sides actually sitting at the table if you’re doing a sit-down affair rather than a buffet.)

It also makes a meat buffet affordable. Usually, when it comes to serving a buffet dinner, you need to have much more food than if you’re plating it. And even if you are plating it, having full portions of meat and chicken (especially Kosher) available for all your guests can be so pricey.

By turning it into a soup bar, you still have the substantial aspect of meat, but you need much smaller quantities and cheaper options. It’s also so much easier, with less leftovers and people LOVE it!

We also had sides, and I “designed” the dishes around full “Mix ‘n match” potential. For example, I realized that some of the soup add-ins would also be delicious with rice, so I cooked up some brown rice that people can have with toppings such as lentils, shredded chicken breasts, and more.

I made three types of soups in a triple slow cooker – and kept them in the slow cooker on low for the duration of the party, so that everyone had warm soup, no matter when they arrived. And yes, I DID delegate! Soups are really easy and can be made in advance, so I did those. My sister-in-law helped with the garlic bread and salads. You can have people help with some toppings too, or other sides.

Exactly what you’ll want to include in your soup bar will depend on your family’s preferences, obviously, but I’ll share our soup bar details below, along with some suggestions. The main thing is to offer plenty of choices so that people can customize their own bowls.

I had around twenty adults at my event.

Soups for your Soup Bar:

I aimed for a variety of soups, but wanted them to be filling. We ended up with one thick, blended soup, one hearty soup, and one thinner, more of a comfort soup.

• Butternut Squash Soup – alternatives can be any blended soup, such as broccoli
• Vegetable Soup – I made it like my chicken soup but without the chicken, and with much more vegetables. You can make an actual chicken soup if you’d like.
• Mushroom Barley Soup – the barley makes it very filling, and it’s delicious with meat! You can sub this with a split pea soup too – or anything thick and filling.

One mistake I made was making these too late and expecting them to cook in the slow cooker! If you plan to actually cook it in the slow cooker, make it way in advance – and you should probably look up a recipe for expected cook times.

Soup Bar Meat Add-ons:

To make it a “substantial” meal, I threw in a few affordable fleishig add-ons. These were obviously finished to the last drop, but only towards the end of the party, when people were already digging in for doubles and triples.

• Chicken Breasts – I simply baked these, and then shredded it with two forks.
• Deli cubes – I bought salami rolls from Costco and cubed it. This was very popular, and even warranted a refill (although I think people snacked on it too.)
• Stew meat – I made one regular sized package and sauteed it until it was cooked through. It also made some delicious gravy, perfect for mixing into the soups and rice.

Soup Bar Toppings:

Who doesn’t love delicious croutons in a thick butternut squash soup? Here are some conventional soup toppings to put out. The prepackaged ones had lots of leftovers – I think people loved the unique toppings most!

• Chow Mein Noodles
• Soup Nuts
• Croutons
• Thin egg noodles (these were totally finished)

Other Soup Bar Elements (and more ideas for you):

• Rice (some guests added it to their soup, but I had it in mind for mixing with other things)
• Plain cooked lentils
• Garlic bread
• Baguettes

And here are the things I didn’t do but you can:

• Cooked cubed vegetables or roasted/sauteed vegetables
• Nuts and seeds can be delicious in the thick soups!
• Corn/tortilla chips
• Imitation bacon bits
• Purple onions and scallions, diced
• Hot dog slices or chunks

Side dishes for your soup bar:

• Salads, of course!
• Corn relish
• Sauteed string beans (or try these delicious sesame snap peas)
• Pasta salad or sesame noodles  are great fillers!
• Guacamole – which goes great if you have chips among the side dishes!
• Franks-in-blanks

A few more notes about our soup bar:

For those of you who will ask: yes, I did use mostly paper goods where possible! It makes life a lot easier. Maybe if I had a dishwasher I would have used real dishes, but for us it was paper.

If you don’t like the idea of soup in paper, you can use dollar store mugs – it makes it easier for people to walk around with. You can use paper plates for the side dishes.

I did not label the soups, and yes, I should have. I did keep explaining to people what everything was.

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What would you include in a soup bar? Have you ever tried it? Comment below!

The post Soup Bar – Easy Fleishig Party Idea appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.