Vegetable Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 1 Pound beef stew meat
• 1 onion (diced)
• 1 Clove garlic (minced)
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 carrots (sliced)
• 1 Stalk celery (sliced)
• 6 Cups beef broth
• 1 Can diced tomatoes (14 1/2 Ounce Can, petite, not drained)
• 1/2 green pepper (diced)
• 2/3 Cup pearl barley
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Package gravy mix (beef, powder)
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 or 4 Sprigs fresh thyme
• fresh parsley
• fresh thyme

Instructions

1. 1

   brown: Add the beef stew meat, diced onion, minced garlic, and olive oil to a large skillet. Cook over a medium-high heat until the stew meat is just browned.

2. 2

   add: Transfer the stew meat mixture to a large soup pot. Then add the sliced carrots, sliced celery, beef broth, petite diced tomatoes, diced green pepper, pearl barley, Worcestershire sauce, beef gravy mix, bay leaf, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme to the pot.

3. 3

   simmer: Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce to a medium-low heat. Allow the stew to simmer for 45 minutes.

4. 4

   serve: Remove the bay leaf and thyme from the pot once finished simmering. Serve with freshly chopped thyme and parsley.