Heat the oil in a large heavy kettle. Add the meat & brown on all sides. Add the onions & carrots & saute for 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, seasonings & barley & 7 cups water. Bring to a boil, lwer the heat & simmer, covered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until themeat is almost falling off the bones.
Remove the meat & bones from the soup & cut the meat into 1" pieces. Add the meat & mushrooms to the soup. Cook 5 more minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Stir in the parsley & serve hot.~~Thyme for all Seasons

Thanks so much!

Susan

2-3 lbs. Soup Meat and Bones or Beef Shank w/Bone, Cracked Veal Knuckle
for a rich, brown broth, brown meat and bones in a 350 degree oven
3 qts. Water (can use vegetable liquor)
2 T Salt
1 twenty-eight oz. can Tomatoes, undrained
1 lg. Onion, chopped
1 C Green Peas
1 C diced Potatos
1 C sliced Carrots
1 C sliced Celery
1 C Baby Limas
1 C cut Green Beans
1/2 C uncooked Med. Barley
2 T chopped Parsley
1/4 t crushed Thyme
1/4 t Sugar

Any addition or substitution can be made. Pasta, lentils, rice, corn, broccoli, etc.

In a large stock pot, place meat, bones, water, crushed thyme (also, 8 or 10 pepper corns).
Heat to boiling. Simmer 2-1/2 to 3 hrs., or until meat is tender.

Remove meat and bones. Cut up meat and reserve. Strain broth and skim off fat.
Add cut up meat. Add barley, parsley, and simmer for 1/2 hr. Then add vegetables in order required for doneness, pease last...over a period of another 1/2 hr. Take care that vegetables do not become mushy.

At this point adjust seasoning....salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 T Aromatic Bitters (optional) just before serving.

Makes 8 Main Dish servings, (270 Calories each.) or 12 cups.

(nice served with fried chicken and home made Italian Bread)

Marrow Ball Dumplings
Marrow Ball Dumplings are best when served in Vegetable Soup with a Beef Stock Base or in Chicken Soup.

1/3 C Raw Marrow, 3 oz.
2 t finely cut Parsley
2 Eggs, unbeaten
1/2 t Salt
1/4 t Paprika
20 Soda Crackers, rolled fine (1 cop)

Scoop marrow from beef shank bone and press through a course sieve. Add remaining ingredients in order given and beat until thoroughly blended. Let stand for two minutes to stiffen slightly for easier handling. Shape level T. of mixture into ball with hands. Drop into boiling soup, cover and boil gently 5 minutes. Serve at once in soup. 4 - 5 servings.

***
Whenever someone asks me for a family recipe, this is what I give. Grandma "Gell" made it, and all of her descendants do, too. It makes a complete meal so it is great to take over to a family at times of illness, death, etc. It is delicious; a lot of my friends have adopted it for their families, too. Freezes great.

One caution: rinse the bowls, spoons, etc. promptly -- this turns into cement when it dries!

You can tweak amounts, and you can add dried mushrooms, bouillon powder, etc., if you want. I always chop the vegetables by hand so that they are in neat cubes, but my mother and brother use the food processor.

Vegetarians can omit the meat.

Gellchom's family vegetable soup

3/4 lb. short ribs (can add/substitute other beef or even chicken necks, etc., but make sure there's a beef bone in there)
1/2 cup each dried large lima beans, green split peas, barley (regular or quick cooking)
about 1 T salt and some pepper
2 carrots, scraped and diced
2 stalks celery, scraped and diced

Put meat and bones into large pot. Fill with water to about an inch from top. Bring to a boil. Skim. Add dried vegetables, cover, and simmer one hour. Add carrots and celery, cover, and simmer another hour. Chill overnight in refrigerator or (in cold weather) on porch.
Remove fat. Extract meat and bones. Shred meat and return to soup. Give bone to thrilled dog. Thin if desired. Reheat and serve.