Beef Barley Soup

Beef Barley Soup -- Crock-pot style   

1 pound boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced carrot  

1 1/2 cups thinly sliced celery  

2/3 cup chopped onion

1 (8-ounce) package pre-sliced mushrooms  

5 cups beef broth

1 bay leaf

2/3 cup uncooked pearl barley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

 Heat a frying pan oven over medium-high heat.  Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to pan.  Add beef and cook 4-5 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Remove beef from pan and set aside for a few minutes. In a crock-pot, add carrot, celery, onion, and mushrooms and add beef, beef broth; and bay leaf.   Cover, and cook on low for 5 hours or until beef is tender. In a saucepan, cook barley according to box directions. 1 hour before serving, add cooked barley to crock-pot and stir.  Stir in salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf. Serve with crusty bread and butter.