Beef Barley Vegetable Soup

"Perfect for Sundays or cold nights."
-Annika Rau

Ingredients:
1 (3 lb) beef chuck roast
1/2 C barley
1 bay leaf
2 T olive oil
3 carrots (chopped)
4 beef bouillon cubes
1 tsp white sugar
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 (28 oz) can stewed tomatoes (chopped)
3 celery stalks (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
1 (16 oz) package frozen mixed vegetables
4 C water
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
Cabbage (optional)

Directions:
Put roast in slow cooker on low and cook until done (around 6 hours on low). Add bay leaf and barley during the last hour of cooking. Remove meat, and chop into bite-size pieces. Discard bay leaf. Set beef, broth, and barley aside.

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Saute carrots, celery, onion, and frozen mixed veggies until tender. Add water, beef bouillon cubes, sugar, 1/4 tsp pepper, stewed tomatoes, and beef/barley mixture. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10-20 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.