Favorite Lentil Soup

This nice glass bowl is actually holding quite a bit of soup.

Once, when John and I were making one of our many trips to Wisconsin

and had been eating quick fast food or road food for a while (we had been in Missouri visiting Molly and family and had so many things to do -places to go- that Molly didn't have time to make any gourmet meals like she is wont to do. We even had a meal at Sonic. We had frozen custard at Drew's. Then on the long drive from St. Louis up to Wisconsin, we had Burger King, etc. ) When we got closer to Wisconsin, I called Jane, my dear friend in Point, and asked her for a favor.

I said:"I NEED some Lentil Soup! Can we come visit you and can you, will you please, make some for us and we can talk while we eat. We want to come to your house before we even go to 509 First Street. " She agreed to and we drove along happily, in anticipation (at least I was happily anticipating the soup, John could take it or leave it.)

When we got to her house, she did not have the soup even started. She had had a very busy day that included riding her bike a long way to one of her doctor appointments. She had other things going on, too. Nevertheless, she assembled the ingredients and followed the recipe exactly, like it is written here. I don't grate the carrots, but fine dice.

So we talked while she made the soup and while we ate it. Fully recharged with this wonderful nutrition, and our visit, we then got into our rental car and proceeded to my folk's house.

Note...you can subsitute a bottle of spaghetti sauce for the diced tomtaoes.

My Favorite Lentil Soup from (from Jane Brody’s Good Food Book- a bit tweeked)

2 T. oil

2 large or 3 medium onions, chopped (2 cups)

3 carrots, coarsely grated (Joan prefers tiny diced)

¾ t. marjoram, crumbled

¾ t. thyme leaves, crumbled (or just use 1 1/2 teasp. Italian seasonings if you do not have the marjoram and thyme )1 28-oz. can tomatoes with their juice, coarsely chopped (I buy S&W’s diced in juice)

4 cups broth (I use salt free broth made with boullion)

4 cups water

1½ cup dried lentils, rinsed and picked over

¼ to ½ t. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley or 2 T. dried parsley flakes

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1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and sauté the onions, carrots, marjoram and thyme, stirring

the vegetables, for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the tomatoes, broth, and lentils. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer the soup for about 1 hour or until the lentils are tender.

3. Add the salt, pepper, and parsley, and simmer the soup for a few minutes.