Barley Soup

This soup is so good in the Winter time!  We love having it on our shelves.  To stretch the soup to feed our family using only one or two quarts of it, sometimes we will add a few potatoes some green beans, some cabbage and whatever else we have that sounds good at the time.  By itself or as a soup base it's great either way!  To make this soup be sure you have a very large pretty much HUGE pot!  Unless you cut the recipe in half, because it makes over 20 quarts!  For more info on canning with tomatoes go here!

Barley Soup

1/2 bushel tomatoes, scalded, peeled and mashed
3 cups hulled barley
5 pounds onions, peeled and chopped
1 large bunch celery, chopped
30 carrots sliced
1/2 cup Sucanat
1/2 cup Real Salt
1 large bunch parsley, chopped
1-2 quarts water

Put all veggies together in the water except for the tomatoes and barley.  Add Sucanat and salt cook until barely tender.  Add tomatoes and barley simmer for five minutes.  Pour into clean quart jars, put lids on tight and water bath can....boil for 30-40 minutes.  Remove jars to cool on a heat proof surface.  Let cool to seal jars.  Be sure all jars are sealed before putting them on the shelf.  Makes about 21 quarts of soup.