FEEDS: 4-6

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 2-3 slices bacon, sliced into small pieces when it’s raw
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• Black pepper
• ½ C. barley
• ½ C. lentils
• 1 small can tomato juice (5.5 oz.)
• 2 ¼ C. chicken broth (apx.)

LET’S COOK:

Drop the sliced bacon into a pot of appropriate size over a medium high burner. Move it around and cook just until the bacon begins to crisp up.

Slide in the onion, stir it into the bacon and cook a minute or two more. Now add the carrots, celery and the garlic and stir it all together. Also add the barley and lentils and season with the black pepper to taste.

Pour the tomato juice into a large cup measure, and then fill to the 2 ½ C. level with the chicken broth. Pour the liquid into the pot, stir it up, bring to a boil, cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Then, stir up the ingredients gently, cover the pan, turn off the burner and allow it to sit for an additional 10 minutes.

Serve with a generous sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley or chives.

MORE IDEAS:

If you’d like more color in this dish, when you check it after the first 30 minutes of cooking time, stir in a ¼ C. of frozen peas and corn, cover and then let it sit the 10 minutes suggested.