Almost-Vegetarian Barley Soup

I like vegetable soup but am not above using chicken broth for the liquid! This is a filling meal in itself and all it needs is some good bread and butter to complete the menu.

Almost-Vegetarian Barley Soup
1/2 cup barley
7 cups chicken broth or half chicken broth and half water
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
8 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
Pinch of chili flakes
4 new potatoes, peeled and diced
4 stalks of celery, diced
1 cup diced red bell pepper (or any color bell pepper you might prefer)
1 cup peeled and diced carrots
1 cup green beans (frozen and defrosted is fine)
1 cup your favorite yellow squash
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup dry sherry
3 chopped green onions or scallions
1 cup fresh or frozen corn
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup fresh Basil, snipped into strips
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

In a large pot, sautee the onions and garlic until fragrant and softened. Add the barley, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Cook a minute to warm the ingredients. Add the chicken broth/water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until barley is tender. It is usually about 20 minutes but check the package.

After the barley is done, add all the ingredients except the Basil and the Romano cheese. Cover and simmer about 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Test for seasoning. Stir in the Basil and cheese and serve.

If you like, you can add a can of diced tomatoes for a more Italian presentation with a teaspoon of Italian seasoning.