A Simple Soup

One of my favorite soups is lentil-ham soup. It is easy to make, inexpensive, and surprisingly tasty.

Go to the store (or check your cupboards & refrigerator for) one bag of lentils, about five carrots, about four or five stalks of celery, one medium to large sized onion, and probably about three cups of cubed ham. I typically get a ham that is cut & packaged it is about 1/4" to 1/2" thick and usually has a bone in it (small & round). Wash off the lentils and place into a ducth oven (big pot) with about eight cups of water and turn the heat on medium. Cut the ham into cubes or pieces per your desire (make them small enough so there are a lot of pieces but large enough to notice), peel, cut, and chunk up the carrots, celery and onion. Put the meat & vegetables into the pot, put in two or three bay leaves, one tablespoon of peppercorns, maybe a tablespoon of salt and heat over a slow to medium heat. In about 1-1/2 to two hours you are ready to eat the soup.

Season the soup to your liking in your bowl before eating, eat with some buttered bread. When reheating, do not microwave a bowl at a time, gently reheat the whole pot.

Good stuff!