Rich Beef Barley Soup

Need something rich and hearty for a cold winter night? Then this just might fit the bill. We all enjoy barley and my son likes oxtail stew, this seemed to be a good combination of the two. I didn't have leeks so I used some sweet onion in their place in addition to the other onion. I also left out the celery since neither hubby nor son enjoys celery. At first bite I though this was a little on the sweet side but after adding crackers to mine I enjoyed it much more. It's definitely filling and will warm you from the inside out. Next time I might leave out the bay leaf since hubby tends to object to them lately. Next time I might also add some mushrooms since we enjoy mushrooms and barley. I did make half a recipe.