Vegetable Beef & Barley Soup

The other day after I left for jury duty my husband put a roast in the crock pot before he went to work (didn't tell me). On my way home I picked up a pizza for dinner, which the boys and I ate. When I got home I thought the house smelled like popcorn? (I'm not sure how I came up with that but later that night I realized the crock pot sitting next to the stack of pans on the counter had something in it. Oops. So the next day I was trying to think of some way to use the well cooked roast for dinner. It was just falling apart but the top was a little on the dry side. So I thought of this recipe that I adapted from the Taste of Home mag. in 2008. I actually prefer the shredded beef in it. I only used about 1/2 of the 3 lbs roast. Very Tasty.

Vegetable Beef & Barley Soup

2 lbs beef stew meat -or shredded beef

1 tbs veg. oil

5 c. water

1 C celery, chopped

5 medium carrots, chopped

1 c onion, chopped

1 can (14 1/2 oz.) dices tomatoes (I used 1 pint home canned tomatoes)

4 beef bouillon cubes

3/4 tsp each, dried oregano, thyme, basil, and parsley flakes

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 c quick-cooking barley

2 potatoes peeled and cut into bite size

If using the stew meat dredge it in flour (seasoned with salt and pepper). Brown meat in oil on all sides; drain. (If using shredded beef just add to the following ingredients). Add water, celery, carrots, onion, tomatoes, bouillon and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat cover and simmer for 50 min.

Stir in barley; cover and simmer 10-15 min. longer or until barley is tender. (I couldn't find quick cooking barley so in a separate pan I cooked the barley and then added it to the soup for the last 15 min)