Barley-Induced Madness!

We had three (yes--three!) boxes of instant pearl barley that were about to expire. Cue three weeks of barley-induced madness.

Week one we had Chicken Barley Chili right of the back of the box (with copious amounts of Korean hot sauce added, of course). The chili turns out to freeze well, incidentally. Highly recommended.

Week two saw Meatball Barley Stew (which I still need to post).

Week three was all about Barley Risotto. You can use up a whole box of instant barley, as long as you add 4+ cups broth and a little more cream cheese. Add some seasonings, too; I added garlic salt, black pepper, garlic pepper, and some herb blend seasoning. Right at the end, the dish was tasting somewhat flat, so I added some white wine, which I absolutely recommend. I will be making this frequently!

And I have to say that, even after three weeks of this, I am still a barley-lovin' gal. It's incredibly healthy, incredibly cheap... and incredibly delicious!