Golden Summer Soup

I looked in the freezer and fridge yesterday afternoon to find not much of anything. I hadn't yet gone grocery shopping and all I had was some frozen veggies, a frozen pork chop, some apples and some left over chicken stock. The only thing I could think of making for dinner was some sort of soup. I love soup and it has been awhile since I had created my own since my swamp soup, something I've yet to post! Anyway, it came out great! Very summery tasting, a little spicy but not a hot spiciness. You'll surely enjoy this one, we did!

"Golden Summer Soup"

Ingredients:

EVO 2tbs
Safflower Oil 2tbs
"meat" I had 1 pork chop but anything would do with this...poultry, hamburg, etc.
1c Barley Pearl
1/2c Flour

1tbs Butter

2c Chicken Stock

1c Cranberry Juice

1/4c Milk

2 Golden Delish's Apples
4tbs Cream Cheese
1tbs Garlic
1/2ts Pepper
Pinch Sea Salt and Rosemary
Garnish:
Peppercorn Parmesan Dressing
Crushed Red Pepper Spice
Parsley Fresh or Dried

Directions:

1. Heat a large sauce pan on medium heat.
2. Cook your Barley Pearl.
3. If using pork, cut into small squares and shake them in a baggy or bowl with the flour. Cook them in a frying pan or skillet with Safflower oil and Butter until browned.
4. As Barley and pork is cooking add all of the other ingredients in the sauce pan and simmer.
*5. Whoops, forgot an important step... Once apples are soft carefully emulsify the mixture to desired "smoothness". If using a blender allow soup to cool then blend in batches returning back to the pan to reheat.
6. When barley (cooked and drained) and meat (browned) are ready add them to the pan, cover and simmer on medium low to low heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.
7. I garnished my soup with Peppercorn Parmesan Dressing, crushed Red Pepper Spice and Parsley.