Mom'S Beef Stew - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 pounds meaty beef soup bones, beef shanks or short ribs
6 cups water
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
5 medium carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup medium pearl barley
1 can (28 oz.) plum tomatoes, undrained
1 to 1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced, optional
1 bay leaf, optional
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water

Preparation

Place soup bones and water in a soup kettle or Dutch oven. Slowly bring to boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2 hours. Set beef bones aside until cool enough to handle.
Remove meat from bones; discard bones and return meat to broth.
Add the potatoes, carrots, onion, barley, tomatoes, salt, pepper, garlic, and bay leaf if desired.
Cover and simmer for 50-60 minutes or until vegetables and barley are tender.
Discard bay leaf.
Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into stew.
Bring o boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Yield:
10 servings.