Hearty Mushroom-Beef-Barley Soup

Soup is perfect for cold winter days.  Chock full of tender beef, vegetables and barley, this beef-barley soup is comfort food at its best.  With this recipe, as always... Kraft recipe, Kraft ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 8 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 lb. (450 g) mixed mushrooms (button, cremini, shiitake), sliced
• 1/4 cup Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
• 1/4 cup Bull's-Eye Bold Original Barbecue Sauce
• 1/2 lb. (225 g) boneless beef chuck steak, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups water
• 3 cans (10 fl oz/284 mL each) 25%-less-sodium beef broth
• 3/4 cup barley, uncooked

Directions:

• Cook and stir bacon in Dutch oven or stockpot on medium heat until crisp. 
• Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. 
• Discard all but 2 Tbsp. drippings from pan.
• Add mushrooms to drippings in pan; cook on medium-high heat 5 min. or until mushrooms start to release their liquid. 
• Simmer on low heat 15 min. or until mushrooms are golden brown and all liquid is cooked off.
• Add dressing, barbecue sauce, beef, onions and carrots; cook and stir 5 min. or until onions are crisp-tender, adding garlic for the last minute.
• Stir in water, broth, barley and bacon. 
• Bring to boil; cover. 
• Simmer on low heat 50 min. or until barley is tender.