Ingredients for 8 servings:
1. 3/4 cup wild rice
2. 3/4 cup medium barley
3. 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
4. 1/4 teaspoon salt
5. 2 cups water
6. 3 tablespoons olive oil
7. 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 12 oz.)
8. 2 cloves garlic, minced
9. 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
10. 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
11. 1/4 teaspoon salt
12. 1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
13. 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leave
14. 1/2 cup minced parsley
15. 3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
16. 3/4 cup dried cranberries (the sweetened kind)

Directions:
1. Combine the rice, barley, salt, broth and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender, about 40 minutes.
2. If any liquid is still remaining after the rice is cooked, drain the rice.
3. Heat the olive oil and saute the onion, garlic, celery and carrot until slightly soft but not brown about 3 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with the salt, cover the pan, adjust the heat to med-low and cook the vegetables until crisp-tender, 5 minutes longer.
5. Add the sage, thyme and parsley and saute 1 minute more.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Mix in the rice, the pecans and the cranberries.
8. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
9. Note 1- substitutions: you can substitute any nut for the pecans (try walnuts or hazelnuts).
10. You can use all wild rice or all barley.
11. Note 2- this recipe was originally a stuffing recipe, but I like it as a side dish.
12. You can certainly use it to stuff poultry, though.