Beef Barley Soup

While it's still cold outside, I have been taking advantage of the fact that soups and stews taste oh-so-yummy, and warm you from the inside out.  One of my favorite soups that is both delicious and easy is Beef Barley soup.  This is a very forgiving soup if you don't have lots of ingredients to work with.  Let's get started:

Beef Barley Soup

1 lb stewing beef
3 lbs (approx) potatoes, scrubbed and cubed*
3/4 cup pearl barley
1 can green beans
1 can green peas
8 cups beef stock (or beef bouillon and water to equivalent of 8 cups)

In a large pot (or large crock pot), heat 4 cups beef stock, and add stewing beef.  Boil meat until cooked through most of the way.  Add potatoes and barley and simmer for about 45 minutes in large pot or about 1 1/2 hours on high in crockpot.  Add the veggies - you can use one or the other or another canned veggie of your choice.  Heat through, and serve.  Can sit in pot or crock pot on low heat for several hours and it will not over cook.  Serves at least 8 people.
*I don't bother peeling the potatoes, since I like the texture of the peeling.  I just make sure the potatoes are well scrubbed.  If you prefer to peel them, they work just as well.