Beef Barley Soup (Version 2, Stovetop)

Another cold, drizzly day made me so glad my mom sent me back from the U.S. with a bag of barley. This is beef barley soup weather for sure! Maybe the only good thing about the dreary weather. Since my only recipe is for the crockpot, here is the stovetop recipe. I feel like every time I make soup it is slightly different based on available ingredients, but this is a good starting point.

What you need/Ingredients:

• 1 lb beef, cut into small pieces
• about 1 T olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 cups beef broth
• 1/2 C. red wine
• 1/2 C. barley
• 1 potato, diced
• 3-4 carrots, chopped
• 1 t. thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tomatoes and 1/2 bell pepper, chopped

What I'd add if they were available: a few stalks of chopped celery and some cut up mushrooms.

What to do/Directions

• Cut up the beef into small pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Warm some olive oil in a pan over medium heat and cook beef, stirring frequently. Drain fat if necessary and add onion, stir. After a few minutes, add garlic and cook until fragrant; remove from heat.
• While the beef is cooking, put broth into a pot and put on high until the broth is bubbling. Add barley, potato, carrots, wine, thyme, and bay leaves.
• Add cooked beef into pan. Lower heat to "low" and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour, until barley is soft. Add tomatoes and bell peppers and cook for a few more minutes. (You can add these at the beginning but I prefer them a little less cooked)
• Add salt and pepper if necessary and enjoy with warm, fresh bread. Or, if you're like me, store-bought bread. I don't judge.