Melanie's Beef Barley Soup

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 2 pounds beef stew meat, diced into 1 inch pieces
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables
• 4 small red potatoes, cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup barley

Recipe

• season beef stew chunks with salt and pepper to taste. place seasoned beef in a large soup pot. add 2 tablespoons of oil and saute for 5 minutes on high heat. remove meat. add 2 more tablespoons of oil to pot and add onions, carrots and mushrooms. saute for 5 minutes, stirring often. add garlic and thyme to pot and saute for 3 more minutes.
• add the chicken broth and 3 cups of water to pot. add the frozen mixed vegetables, potatoes and barley. season with salt and pepper to taste. stir all together and bring to a boil. cover pot, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.