Country Garden Vegetable Soup

How to make Country Garden Vegetable Soup Recipe - Use fresh garden vegetables or substitute an equivalent amount of frozen or canned, preferably home-processed vegetables.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients:
1 large soup bone with meat
1 pound lean beef stew meat, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 quarts water
1 bay leaf
4 whole black peppercorns
1/3 cup pearl barley
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
2 cups mixed sliced carrots, chopped celery, whole-kernel corn and fresh or frozen green peas
1 quart chopped fresh tomatoes, or 1 quart home-canned tomatoes, or 2 (16-ounce) cans whole or stewed tomatoes
3 parsley sprigs, chopped
1/4 teaspoon each dried leaf rosemary, marjoram and thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:
In a large, heavy, soup pot, brown soup bone and stew meat in oil over medium to high heat, slowly turning meat to brown on all sides.

Remove from heat and carefully add water, bay leaf and peppercorns. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Remove bone. Skim fat from top of broth. Add barley; simmer 45 minutes. Add onion, carrots, celery, corn, peas, tomatoes and herbs. Simmer, covered, 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf. Add salt and pepper.