Soups and stews are two of the most popular wintertime staples. Not only do they fill the house with rich, mouthwatering aromas while they simmer on the stove; they're the ultimate in great-tasting comfort foods.

Using broth to create homemade soups and stews is a wonderful way to add lots of flavor to these tasty dishes without spending all day in the kitchen. In fact, most people use broth in home-cooked soups and stews. According to a recent survey commissioned by Campbell Soup Company, broth is used in homemade soup more than 80 percent of the time, and in stews made from scratch 69 percent of the time. So go ahead and warm up your taste buds with these cold-weather classics.

Sensational chicken noodle soup starts with a flavorful base of chicken broth and

combines chicken, egg noodles, carrots and celery to create a heartwarming dish as good as grandma would make.

For a satisfying entree, prepare a hearty beef stew by adding potatoes, beef and carrots to beef broth for a slow-cooked meal that's tender and tasty.

When the weather outside gets frightful, create a delightful homemade soup or stew to warm your family from the inside out. For more hearty dishes and helpful cooking tips, visit www.swansonbroth.com.

- Courtesy of ARA

Beef Barley Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups water

¼ cup uncooked pearl barley

1 pound boneless beef sirloin steak or top round

steak, cut into 1-inch cubes

6 ounces mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups)

1 clove garlic, minced

4 cups beef broth

¼ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed

Generous dash ground black pepper

2 medium carrots, sliced (about 1 cup)

Directions:

In 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, bring water to a boil. Add barley. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook for 40 minutes or until barley is tender, stirring occasionally. Drain. Cook beef in 3-quart nonstick saucepot until well browned, stirring often. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook until mushrooms are tender. Stir broth, thyme, black pepper and carrots into saucepot. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until carrots are tender. Stir in barley. (Tip: substitute ½ cup quick-cooking barley for the pearl barley. Cook until barley is tender (12 minutes or according to package directions). Makes four servings.