Barley Lentil Soup

For those of you who are here for food and want to me to cut right to the chase- here yah go.  I understand sometimes I am like that, blah blah blah, just give me the food.  Other times, especially when I have a cup of tea I read everything on everyones blog, loving every minute of it.

For those of you who like cats and want to hear me jabber, read below for a real Tom Cat Story.

Barley Soup Mix
This is one of those soups you can package in a pretty jar and give as a gift, with the instructions for soup.

1/4 cup pearl barley
1/4 cup green split peas
1/4 cup red lentils
4 beef or chicken bouillon cubes (I used my vegetable bouillon cubes that I have in the freezer)
2 teaspoons instant onion flakes ( I used a real onion)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil (as you can see I used fresh)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder ( again fresh is better)
1 small bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon thyme (again fresh)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper crushed
1 carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped

Saute onion, carrots and celery in a large soup pot with a tablespoon of canola oil. Meanwhile rinse barley, peas and lentils, until water runs clear. When onions are translucent add the beans lentils and barley to the pot with five cups of water, seasonings (except basil), and vegetable bouillon.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer soup slowly. Cook one hour and fifteen minutes. until barley is softened.


The Pretty Kitty Story-

Let me start off by saying that I am allergic to cats.  I hate it because I would probably have had one by now.  I had one as a child growing up but near the end of her life I started having allergies that gradually became much worse after her passing.

I feel for my kids because I want so much to give them a dog or a cat.  I feel like I am cheating them out of some special love that you can receive from a pet.  No, I am not willing to take drugs unnecessarily to have a pet.  And yes I have checked into low allergen pets.

Anyway, something magical has happened.  A cat who I have seen many times over the past couple years patrolling my backyard for moles and rabbits and what nots, came to our door. He was there one summer day in August, sitting by the patio door, meowing, wanting something from me.  I poured a small amount of milk in a bowl and went to give it to him on our back stoop.  As soon as I opened the screen, he bolted into our house.  He came in and I moved his bowl inside.  He visited for a time and then left.  A week or so later he was back.  We gave him more milk.  He started coming more regularly.  Just recently I gave him some chicken gizzards- more on that at another time.  And he fell in love with me.  Not for me, per say, but for my chicken gizzards.  The longest he has stayed at our house is three hours.

I am pretty okay allergy wise for that time, so it is totally cool.  The kids get to pet him.  I don't have to clean a litter box.  I don't have to pay vet bills.  Totally. A very perfect arrangement.

I did start wondering where our friend was from.  He has no collar.  One day I saw him walk home to our neighbors a few doors down.  My husband and I went to their house for a visit. Just to make sure everything was cool.  They told us that "Shag" was kind of a community cat.  They can not keep him at their house.  They have other cats and he is not really interested in divided attention.  He wants to be loved completely and they also said that he does not want to be fed Friskies either.  A previous neighbor use to give him tuna and milk.  I think he will be coming around more now that he knows he can get some good eats at our house. Such a guy.