Beef Barley Soup - Using Left Overs

By now you must know how much I am into using whatever left overs I have to create other dishes. So, after I cooked that delicious short rib dinner, I ended up with lots of good flavored broth and even some of the meat. Since I always have celery, carrots and onions on hand - especially during the colder months, the only two items purchased was the can of broth and a bag of barley.

• 3 carrots - rough chop
• 1 cup sweet onion - rough chop
• 1 cup celery - rough chop

Into the food processor

Pulse like this photograph shows.

1. In a small stock pot, add the left over meat and beef broth.
2. An extra can of beef broth goes in.
3. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Dried thyme - about 1/4 tsp.
5. All of the spices can be adjusted later on.
6. Two good handfuls of pearl barley get tossed in the pot. (Check as the soup cooks and the barley puffs up - need more? Add a little more and continue to cook until all of the barley is cooked.)
7. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours making sure all of the flavor develops.
8. Break the meat apart at the end and serve up some soup.