Beef and Barley Stew

Mmmm soup season is here :)  Here is a GREAT recipe for Beef & Barley Stew.  In the past I have made Chicken and Barley Soup, so I was excited for a bit of a change.  Of course, I got this from Iowa Girl Eats.  I would recommend making it on a weekend, as it takes awhile.  I made it on a Thursday... that's my night off of working out, so I had some extra time.  Totally worth it!  Here ya go:

Beef and Barley Stew
1 1/2 lb Stew Meat
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
3 T Flour
1 medium Onion
1 cup Sliced Carrots (not a fan of cooked carrots, but the things I do for my husband!)
2 cloves of Garlic
1 tsp Parsley Flakes
1/2 tsp Thyme
5 cups Chicken Broth
1 cup Water
4 cups peeled and chopped potatoes (be careful... I peeled my finger a little bit)
8 oz Mushrooms, sliced
1 cup Roma Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup Medium Barley
1 cup Frozen Peas/Corn

Heat a big soup pot over medium heat.  Season stew meat with S&P then toss with flour to even coat.  Spray dutch oven generously with PAM, add stew meal and cook until browned.  It does not have to be cooked through.

Add onion and cook for 2 minutes.  Add carrots and Garlic, cook for 5 minutes.  Add parsley, thyme, chicken broth, and water.  Turn up heat and bring to a boil, scraping bottom of pan with a wooden spoon.  Place lid on top then reduce heat to a medium-low for about 45 minutes.

Turn heat back to high, add potatoes, mushrooms, and barley.  Bring to a boil, place lid on top again and cook for 30-45 minutes... or under potatoes are tender and barley is cooked.  Add peas and stir for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through.

ENJOY!  Worth the effort on a weeknight.