MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP

1 ounce dried mushrooms
1 1/2 cups hot water
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, minced fine
1/4 cup barley
6 cups chicken broth, fat free
piece black pepper
2 small potato, peeled and diced
2 whole carrots, peeled and diced
dill weed
nonfat sour cream
1 whole bay leaf

Soak mushrooms in hot water for 20-30 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, reserving the liquid. Chop the mushrooms and set aside.

In a saucepan saute the onion in butter until soft. Add the chopped mushrooms, carrot, barley, reserved mushroom liquid, chicken stock and pepper. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Add potatoes and bay leaf. Cover and let simmer 30 minutes.

Discard the bay leaf and stir in the sour cream. To add sour cream, stir a little of the of soup into the sour cream, then a little more, then stir all together. Otherwise, the cream lumps into white globules - most unattractive!

Reheat soup but do not let it boil. Garnish with a pinch of dill weed before serving.

Servings: 8
Source: Debbi Berrie