Sunday, April 10, 2016

Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Barley Soup


I have been wanting a slow cooker for a while now, and finally took the plunge. It does take some getting used to, but the ability to throw it together ,set it, and forget it - I'm sold! If you want to make this in a regular stock pot, that's easy! Just brown the meat and onions, combine everything else, simmer covered until the celery is almost done, then add your barley and simmer for another 45 min.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large or 2 medium steaks, cut into small 1/2" cubes
  • 1/2 onion, chopped fine
  • 2-3 fresh roma tomatoes, chopped (or use 1 can diced tomatoes, juice and all)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp celery seed
  • 1 Tbl dried parsley 
  • 4 beef bouillon cubes
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbl soy sauce
  • 3 quarts Homemade Vegetable Broth
  • two 12-oz bags frozen mixed veggies (peas,carrots, green beans, corn)
  • 3 ribs of celery, chopped fine
  • 1 C plain pearled barley (do not use the quick cooking kind!)
Instructions:
  1. If you have the broth made ahead of time, bring it to a boil in a separate pan to speed up the heating process. Slow cookers take a long time to heat up that much liquid, and it becomes a food safety issue. I just made the broth right then, so it would be hot going into the slow cooker.
  2. Combine everything in your slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours.