Beef barley soup

Okay, here's the other recipe I'm making for the crockpot thingy.  Haven't tried it yet, a little scared of the barley part, but I'm willing to give it a try at least once.

Slow Cooker Beef and Barley Soup

Yields 4 servings

5 cups water

2 tsp Shirley J beef bouillon or 4 tsp regular bouillon granules

1/3 cup pearl barley

1/3 cup lentils

1 Tbsp dehydrated onion flakes (you could use fresh onion instead)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 1/2 lbs stew meat (preferably made with a roast from the chuck)

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar (plus more, if needed)

Place water, bouillon, mushrooms, barley, lentils, onion, garlic, bay leaf, stew meat, thyme, basil and salt in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, until lentils are cooked and stew meat is tender.

Add in the pepper and red wine vinegar.  Add in more basil, thyme and salt to taste.  Serve with warm bread.