Lentil Soup

This is another recipe from my grandma, and she always said that her best friend, Anita, taught her how to make this soup. Not only does it taste incredible, but it's very nutritious, easy to make, and freezes well. As such, this is a great soup to make on the weekend to have later in the week. If you've cooked the barley and bacon in advance, prep time is not long.

If you have not, simply cook while the soup is simmering to be added near the end of the process. I like to let my soup simmer on a very low heat for about two hours (maybe a little more, even) but you don't need to simmer that long. Also, if you do, you may need to add a little water as you'll certainly lose some during the process--depending on how thick of a soup you like. You can learn how to soak your lentils here.