Lentil Soup

Brrrr.....are you all as cold as I am?? Lately, we've had some of the coldest days I've felt since my childhood in Colorado. Pennsylvania is known for it's cold winters, but these past few days have been in the single digits and I'm not a fan All I want to do is curl up under a blanket with some hot chocolate and Netflix and hibernate until springtime. I'm SO very lucky that I have a boss that allows me to work from home because most days I dread even going outdoors.

Are you picking up on the fact that I'm a big cold weather baby?

It's not a secret. In fact, my husband is so used to my hatred of snow and cold that, every time the kids ask to go out in the snow and play, he immediately gets his snow gear on. He's a good man :)

On cold days like these, I look forward to a big steamy bowl of soup at the end of the day. It warms me right up and helps me remember that spring is (hopefully) not far away. Plus, you can't beat throwing a bunch of stuff in a pot and letting it simmer while you cuddle with the kiddos. That's the best form of warmth if you ask me :)

Lentil soup is one of my favorite soups since childhood. I remember my mom making it all the time. There's nothing fancy or unusual about this soup - it's just a big bowl of comforting deliciousness! Unfortunately, my husband and kids hate beans of all shapes and sizes (what's wrong with them?!), but I still make a big pot of lentil soup and freeze any leftovers to pull out on cold winter days.

You know you want some...

INGREDIENTS: 1 1/2 cups dried lentils, 6 cups water, 1 tablespoon beef bullion, 2 tablespoons dried parsley, 1 large onion chopped, 1 medium carrot diced, 1 bay leaf, 1/2-1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 clove garlic crushed, 1 cup chopped ham.

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 45 minutes. Remove bay leaf and enjoy!

Bonus points if you have some crusty bread to go along with it. This soup is simple and filling, and sometimes, those are the best kind of dinners.