Not sure which thread you are looking for, but here is a beef & barley soup recipe that may help. It uses ground beef, but you could easily sub other beef for it. Mushroom, Barley and Beef Soup From "Living the GI Diet" by Rick Gallop 4-6 servings 1 T canola oil 8oz lean ground beef 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 lb mushrooms, sliced 1 carrot, chopped 1 stalk celery, chopped 1T fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried) 2 T tomato paste 1 T balsamic vinegar 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 4 c beef broth (low-fat, low-sodium) 3 c water 1/2 c barley 1 bay leaf 1 can (15oz) black beans, drained & rinsed Heat oil in large deep pot over medium high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring, until no longer pink. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, fo 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, carrot, celery and thyme and cook until all the liquid has evaporated from the mushrooms, about 15 minutes. Add tomato paste, vinegar, salt & pepper, stir to coat vegetables.Add the broth, water, barley and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the barley is tender, about 45 minutes. Add the beans and heat through. Remove bay leaf before serving. Chicken option: You can use ground chicken or turkey for the beef and use chicken broth instead of beef broth. Linda

Amy, There not hard cookie, but somewhat more dense than a regular cake. I would suggest having the 3 pans indicated, and an offset spatula, as it makes this process go much faster. Since there's a small amount of dough of each color & there very thin layers which needs to be spread evenly & the offsite spatulas make easier. Around my house it's not christmas w/o these little treasures. Hope they are what your looking for.

OK, here's the recipe for that Onion Braid, which I need to make again soon. Braided Onion Loaf (King Arthur Flour) This makes one giant (18-inch) braid, or make two smaller loaves, if you like. Soft and tender, rather than crisp and chewy, it's a nice addition to a dinner breadbasket. Dough 3/4 cup (6 ounces) hot-from-the-tap water 1/2 cup (4 ounces) milk 4 1/4 cups (18 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour 1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons instant yeast 1/4 cup (2 ounces) butter or vegetable oil 1 egg Filling 1/4 cup (2 ounces) butter, melted 2 cups (8 ounces) finely chopped onions, OR 1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) instant minced onions 1 teaspoon garlic powder OR 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic 1 teaspoon paprika 1/4 cup (1 1/4 ounces) Parmesan cheese, grated Topping 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon water 3 tablespoons poppy, sesame, caraway or mixed seeds Manual Method: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all of the dough ingredients, stirring till the mixture starts to leave the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it's smooth and supple. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl or dough-rising bucket, cover the bowl or bucket, and allow the dough to rise till puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen. Mixer Method: Combine the ingredients as directed in the previous paragraph, using a flat beater paddle or beaters, then switching to the dough hook(s) and kneading for 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl or dough-rising bucket, cover the bowl or bucket, and allow the dough to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, till it's puffy though not necessarily doubled in bulk. Bread Machine Method: Place all of the dough ingredients into the pan of your machine, program the machine for manual or dough, and press Start. Take a look at the dough about 10 minutes before the end of the final kneading cycle, and adjust its consistency with additional water or flour, as necessary, to produce a smooth, supple dough. Allow the machine to complete its cycle. Filling: In a medium-sized saucepan, sautthe onion and garlic in the butter until the onions are soft and golden brown. Remove the pan from the stove, allow it to cool to lukewarm, then stir in the paprika and cheese. Set it aside. Assembly: Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled or lightly floured work surface. Roll it into an 18 x 12-inch rectangle, and cut it lengthwise into three 18 x 4-inch strips. Place a row of filling down the middle of each strip. Fold the strips over, use the heel of your hand to seal the edges, then roll into logs, sealing the ends. This is a very extensible (stretchy) dough; the logs will try to become VERY long as you roll them, but try to keep them within a few inches of their original length. Braid the logs and place the braid on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover lightly and allow the loaf to rise for 1 hour. Beat the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water and brush the loaf all over with the egg wash. Sprinkle it with the seeds of your choice. Bake the braid in a preheated 375°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until it's deep brown and sounds hollow when thumped on the bottom, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thick part of the bread (but not into the filling) registers 200°F or higher. Remove the bread from the oven, and allow it to cool somewhat before serving. Yield: 1 large loaf. Note: This could easily be made into two smaller loaves. When you make your original cuts in the dough, simply make one additional crosswise cut, so you have six 9 x 4-inch rectangles (instead of three 18 x 4-inch). Proceed as directed above, making two loaves. You may want to reduce the baking time slightly. Nutrition Nutrition information per serving (1/16 of large loaf, 85g): 201 cal, 8g fat, 5g protein, 25g complex carbohydrates, 3g sugar, 1g dietary fiber, 32mg cholesterol, 307mg sodium, 104mg potassium, 75RE vitamin A, 2mg vitamin C, 2mg iron, 43mg calcium, 73mg phosphorus. For Becky, would you please add this to FAQ, Ann? Annie

In order to keep from repeating old posts.....is there a search option offered on this forum? Thank you