Mushroom Barley Kielbasa Soup

If you like mushrooms, this is the soup for you. The keilbasa adds an extra richness to the flavor. I imagine it would also be a good one in a crock pot for the day while your busy doing other things. YUMMY, so good on a cold day!

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 6  cups beef broth or 6  cups chicken broth
• 1  cup water
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 2 -4  fresh portabella mushrooms, cubed
• 1 (8 ounce) container  sliced button mushrooms (Porcini, package size is a guess, it's just the regular size of pre-sliced you find at the store)
• 1 (4 ounce) package mushrooms, of choice (Shitaake, Oyster, Morel, etc.)
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  carrot, diced (optional)
• 1  cup celery, sliced
• 1  cup barley
• 1⁄2 lb kielbasa or 1⁄2 lb Polish sausage, cut into chunks
• 1  bay leaves or 1⁄4 teaspoon dried basil
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a deep pot.
2. Add the onion and sauté until almost transparent.
3. Add the celery [and carrot if used] and sauté until limp and throw in the keilbasa or sausage.
4. Let the flavors blend.
5. Add the chicken or beef broth and bring it to a boil.
6. Add all of the mushroom, the barley, parsley, bay leaf, salt and black pepper.
7. Return to a boil.
8. Lower the flame and simmer for 45 minutes or until barley is tender.