We are finally having a spell of cool rainy weather. That means it's time to get out the soup pot. Here is one of our favorites. It freezes well, and is definitely _hearty_.

Beef, barley, and mushroom soup
Printer version of this recipe

4 Tbsps. real butter
1 lb. lean stew meat
1/2 c. flour
1 8-oz. pkg. mushrooms, sliced
1/4 c. celery, diced
1 c. onions, diced
1/4 c. carrots, diced
10 c. beef stock
1/2 c.. pearl barley
1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves (or dried thyme to taste)
salt and pepper

Toss the stew meat in flour. In a large soup pot, brown the floured meat in the butter. Add all vegetables and saute' for four minutes, stirring constantly. Add stock and barley. Cover, bring to boil, and simmer for two hours until barley is soft and beef is tender. Salt and pepper to taste. At this point we like to fish out the beef and dice it fairly fine so that it is distributed evenly throughout the soup.