Lentils and Overtime...

My husband, Will is a Quality Control Manager at a local Savage Yard.  With all the snow and the accidents recently, he's been having to work longer hours to make sure local body shops get the body panels they need in the best possible condition.  The past couple of days it's been in the single digits here in Philly and the inspection shop he works at isn't heated.  Will recently bought a few space heaters out of his own money to try and make it more manageable, but he said it just isn't enough to heat the building up.  

So I decided since lentil soup is my husband's favorite.  That today we would have it to hopefully make him feel better or at least warmer.

Lentil Soup

2 tbsp Olive Oil

2 Strips of Bacon, chopped

1 Onion, chopped

1 Stalk of Celery, chopped

1 Carrot, peeled and chopped

1 Clove of Garlic, Minced

 3/4 cup of Lentils

4 cups of Chicken Broth

I buy bacon in bulk at my local BJ's.  For those of you outside of the area, it's like Costco but, more variety of food and you can buy things in smaller quantities.  I usually take one pound of bacon separate it into 2 to 3 strips per bag.  I prechop it, so if I'm using it for a soup, all I have to do is thaw it the night before and cook it when I need it.  This also works well for breakfast casseroles or if your frying bacon up for salads.

In a lg pot add the oilive oil and the bacon and cook it until the bacon is crispy.  Take it out of the pot and let it drain on a paper towel.

Add your onion, celery and carrot and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.  Add the Garlic and cook for another minute.

Next add the lentils.  I like to toast them for about 2 minutes.

I have a niffy storage container I found at an Ace hardware, that I store my lentils in.  It's a 2 gallon Mason Jar.  Yes, we eat a ton of lentils, lol.  Now whenever Will asks if I want to go to the hardware store.  I always say yes, cause I never know what I'm going to find there.

Add the chicken broth and bring it to a boil.  Turn the heat down to low, cover and cook for one hour.  If too much of the broth is absobed by the lentils, add a little water to make up for what was lost.  Just before serving, add the bacon back to the pot.  This helps preserve the flavor of the bacon.  

I paired the soup today with whole wheat toast with coconut spread on it.  That coconut spread is the only one I've found without soy in it.

My dog always sits with me in the kitchen.  Every now and then I'll pass her one of her favorite treats a baby carrot.

She ends up flinging it around and hopping and pouncing on it just like a cat.  Before she eventually devours it.

Chicken Broth Recipe

I live on soup, not on fine words.

--Moliere