Instructions: We think this chili is superb. The addition of cooked barley and the liquid it is cooked in makes it feel meaty (m***y) to your mouth. Seasonings depend on the cook and your taste.

Wash 1 cup dry pinto beans and pick out debris and rocks. Put pinto beans in 3 cups water. Bring to a boil and turn off heat. Let soak one hour.

Then simmer beans until soft adding water if needed. Beans should absorb most of the water.

In separate pan, cook 1/4 cup pearl barley per package directions. Add liquid as needed. You want some liquid at the end.

Add barley with its cooking liquid to beans. Add 1/2 cup (or more)

granular TVP* (optional but recommended).

From here, you wing it. Add tomato paste or sauce, onion, garlic, chili powder, salt and cumin to taste. If you like chunk tomatoes, use that instead of tomato paste. If you have a can of Rotel tomatoes with green chilis, put it in. For a nice deep flavor, add 1Tblsp of Mole paste from Mexican section of Supermarket.

Simmer until TVP is tender and flavors blend, adding liquid as you wish.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.