Blue Ribbon Beef Barley Soup

The blue ribbon isn't just in the name of the soup, but I actually won a blue ribbon for his recipe. And yes, it's really that good. :)

Beef Barley Soup (thick)

This is not a thin watery soup, it is a nice thick stick to your ribs kind of soup.

2 lbs beef round steak or 2 lbs beef chuck, diced

2 cups sliced carrots

2 stalks celery, diced

1/2 c. green pepper, diced 

1 large onion, chopped

1 (32 ounce) can tomatoes, cut up (diced) I used my own canned.

1 16 ounce package of mixed vegetables

1 diced potato (optional)

2/3 cup barley

1 Tbls. dried parsley flakes

1 Tbls sugar

32 ounce of beef stock or  5 cups water and 1 Tbls boulion or two cubes

1 teaspoons salt

1/4 teas. pepper

3/4 teaspoon dried basil (optional)

1 cup of water

Directions:

1. In skillet brown beef. You can skip this step and just add the meat raw.

2. Place carrot, celery, green pepper, onion, mixed veggies  in crock pot.

3. Put meat on top.

4. Combine tomatoes, barley, sugar, parsley, bouillon, salt and basil. 

***If using Quick barley add to the last hour instead of now. I don’t reccommend the quick, it gets mushy.

5. Pour over meat.

6. Add water.

7. DO NOT STIR. (this is sooooo hard for me) 

8. Cover and cook on LOW for 8  hours.