V8 Barley Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup dried pearl barley
1 cup rice
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
salt
pepper
dried basil
12 oz V8 juice
water
chives

Directions:
Put about 4 cups water into large pot. Boil and add barley and a few pinches of salt. This should cook for about 30 minutes to soften the barley. Add rice and cook for another 10-15 minutes or so, until rice and barley are al dente, or almost done. Add about 10 grinds of fresh pepper, 3-4 shakes of basil and the vegetables. Add more water as needed or boil it off to create the consistency you desire. More water will be more soup-like, or if you boil more off, it will be a thicker stew. Once you have your desired thickness, stir in the V8 and cook a minute or so more to make sure everything's heated.

garnish with fresh chives, and salt & pepper to taste

Chicken, Bean & Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz) can corn
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans
1 (15 oz) can black beans
1 (12.5 oz) can chunk chicken
8 oz fusilli (spiral) pasta
salt
pepper
extra virgin olive oil

directions:
cook pasta as directed on package. put cooked pasta into large glass bowl. add cans of drained beans/chicken to bowl. salt and pepper to taste. add a few tablespoons of olive oil, or keep one of the cans un-drained and add that, juice and all. combine. serve hot or cold.

variation:
for a bit of heat/spice add a tablespoon (or more to taste) of your favorite hot sauce like tapatio and mix in.