Hearty and tasty Beef, Barley and Vegetable Soup is sure to warm you up during the colder months.

Our temperatures dropped this past week! The weather forecast said that the change would be temporary, and to expect another week of the summer-like weather that we typically get during the months of September and October.

I never know if I should trust the weather channel, so I’m prepared with all the different climate possibilities and stash in my car sweatshirts, sweaters, flip-flops, and extra tennis shoes. I lovingly refer to my car trunk as my trunk closet!

Let this go on record…so far, the weather prediction is correct!  The warm sun is out again, but during those brief chilly days it was really, really cold! So cold that I thought about turning on the heat to our house.

That would have been a little wimpy of me, so I resisted the temptation, and made this Beef, Barley, and Vegetable Soup that warmed our bellies instead.

I am ready for cooler weather, though. After getting used to the initial shock of the chill in the air, I started to enjoy the coziness of thicker blankets, cozy socks, and sweats.

I love sweat pants. The basic Hanes gray frumpy ones are so comfy. I wish I could go to work wearing them. You know, instead of having dress-down jean day on Fridays (we don’t have that, but I know a lot of companies do), dress-down sweat day would be the best perk ever!

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Yield: 6

Beef, Barley, and Vegetable Soup

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds of beef chuck, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 medium potato, diced
• 2 cups butternut squash, diced
• 4 cans (14 1/2 ounce) beef broth
• 3/4 cup pearl barley

Instructions

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Cook seasoned meat and onion until all sides of the meat are browned (about 6 minutes). Add broth, barley, thyme, marjoram, rosemary and pepper, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add Carrots, potato and squash and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover and simmer 30-40 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender.

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I highly recommend you get comfy when you enjoy a bowl of this soup. Comfort food at it’s finest, it’s hearty with chunks beef, carrots, butternut squash, and potatoes with just enough barley to add a nice texture to the soup.