Beef Barley and Vegetable Soup

I have been on a serious soup kick as of late. I think I've made a large pot of some type of soup every week for the past month. There are so many things I love about soup- how easy it is, how perfect it is for this weather, the sheer number of possibilities, and most of all, the amount of leftovers it makes! Because of that last reason, I tend to choose Mondays to make the weekly large pot of soup so we can enjoy for lunches throughout the week.

This week I was craving a beef barley soup, so when I found this recipe, I knew I had to make it. It was definitely easy, and oh so delicious!

Beef Barley and Vegetable Soup

1 lb. of chuck roast, cut into cubes (you could also use stew beef, which would be super easy)

1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes, with juice
1 onion, sliced thin
4 stalks of celery, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
1 package (6-8 oz) mushroom mix

1 cup of pearl barley

8 cups of beef broth
1 cup of red wine

2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of thyme
3 bay leaves

Directions: Brown beef cubes in a saute pan with a bit of olive oil. Place in a large stock pot. Add can of diced tomatoes, onion, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and barley. Add beef broth, red wine, and spices and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for about an hour and a half, stirring occasionally. Enjoy!

Adapted from epicurious.com, original recipe here.