When a Family Member and You Disagree about Dinner, Here’s a Solution!

I recently discovered that Bart doesn’t like one of my favorite dinner entrees—stuffed portobello mushrooms.  How did I learn this?  When he helped unpack groceries and saw the package of portobello mushrooms I’d just purchased. 

“I don’t want that for dinner,” he announced.  “I know you like those mushrooms but I don’t.”

At that moment I decided we were having Mushroom and Barley Soup for dinner.  I figured that once I cut up the mushrooms into small bites, he wouldn’t notice that they were portobellos.  And I was right.  The addition of barley made all the difference, and somehow he forgot that he didn’t like these giant mushrooms. 

We happily ate our bowls of soup, and there were no complaints.

Portobello Mushrooms

Portobello Mushroom and Barley Soup – serves 2-3, depending on size of bowl 

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
3 large (about 8 ounces) portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 14.5-ounce can or 2 cups beef broth
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup uncooked barley
1/2 cup water + more if needed
1 tablespoon sour cream 

Begin heating the oil in a 2-quart pot over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the onions and garlic and stir briefly.  When the onions begin to soften, add the mushroom pieces,  and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to soften.  

Add the beef broth, black pepper, barley and water, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the barley is soft.  Add a few more tablespoons water if soup seems too thick. Stir in the sour cream until well blended. 

Serve immediately or let cool and refrigerate until needed.

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