Childhood Lentil Soup

One of the things we ate most often when

I was growing up was definitely lentil soup.

I remember my Mom would have it stewing

away all day in the crockpot for when my Papa

would get home from work. It was so comforting

topped with those round crackers...

Well I was on a mission to recreate it last night.

My Mom told me the original recipe was in

Laurel's Kitchen, but I didn't check-- I just went

for it. Talk about flash back to 1980s LA for me.

Whewee. I served it up with some of the

mountains of focaccia I had baked over the weekend.

This soup is so easy and so economical,

I expect to be making it alot more when I move again!

Classic Lentil Soup or what I like to call 'Dirty Lentil Soup'

1/2 cup uncooked lentils, any colour

3 carrots, scrubbed and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and diced (don't you dare peel them!)

1 onion chopped

2 bay leaves

4 cups+ vegetable broth or water

Clean and sort through your lentils, remember this isn't

stone soup. Cook in enough broth or water to cover for about

20 minutes. Add all the vegetables and simmer for 20 more minutes.

Add some salt and pepper to taste and simmer until the last of the

vegetables are tender.

yes. That is it. Just watch out for the bay leaves.

My family always left them in as a little joke to look out for when

eating, just to see if you were actually paying attention to your food.