DELICIOUS BEEF BARLEY SOUP

2 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil
1 - 1/4 lb. Beef stew meat 
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
5-6 cups beef broth
2/3 cup pearl barley
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 freshly squeezed lemon

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and melt the butter with the oil.

Cut the beef stew meat if the chunks are too large.

Add beef to the pan and cook until beef is well browned. Season beef with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Remove cooked beef from pan.

To the same pan, add the carrots, celery, onion, cook for about 4-5 minutes and then add and barley. Cook everything for about 2 more minutes.

Add the beef back to the pan and stir in the flour and tomato paste.
Stir in the beef broth and diced tomatoes; bring to a light simmer.

Cover; reduce heat, and simmer about 1-1/2 hours or until beef is tender, stirring occasionally. When soup has finished cooking, add the lemon and thyme.