Sweet Potato Beef Barley Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 lbs sweet potatoes, cubed
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 onion, minced
2 tablespoons garlic
1 lb lean ground beef
1 1/2 cups pearl barley
1 teaspoon salt and pepper, each
3 -4 cups water or 3 -4 cups broth, of choice

Preparation

Set cubed sweet potatoes in a pot and cover with water, Add salt. Partly cover and cook on high until fork tender. When cooked through, turn down to med-low, leave potatoes in the water and mash with potato masher until consistency of loose oatmeal. If you like a smoother texture use a immersion blender to puree.
While potatoes are cooking saute onion on med-high heat until translucent and add garlic. Cook for one minute more then add ground beef, salt, and pepper.
Once beef is cooked half way, add barley, stirring constantly for one minute. Now add 1/2 cup of water or broth to the mix. Stir occasionally to keep from sticking and to ensure even cooking.
Continue to add water/broth while it absorbs (shouldn't take long and doesn't take all the liquid usually) until barley is al dente and meat is cooked through.
Add meat mix to pot of sweet potato and stir well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with fresh bread and butter.
***This will thicken more as the barley continues to absorb liquid and release starch, so if you find it's too thick just add some water to thin out. I like mine a little thicker so i don't bother. When it's properly chilled it is quite firm (can be 'cut' into serving sizes from a container with a spoon) but will loosen up as it warms up.***.