Friday Night Light - Vegetarian Lentil Soup

Okay, so I blew it. This recipe requires a couple things we didn't get, and one staple you may not have. We need a handful of spinach leaves (probably about 25 cents worth), a can of tomatoes (about 70 cents) and 2 bay leaves (a jar of leaves at the 99cent store is...99cents). Any of these can be omitted and the soup will still be good. We did buy fresh tomatoes this week, so you can just peel a couple of those, chop them up and throw them in the pot in place of the canned tomatoes. Like most recipes, this one can be tweatked in all kinds of ways.

Vegetarian Lentil Soup

3 T oil (olive oil works really well, but canola or veggie will do)

1 medium onion, chopped

3  carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 tsp garlic powder)

1 T italian seasoning, rubbed

2 bay leaves

1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (or 2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped)

1 lb bag dry lentils, washed and sorted (look carefully for small stones that may sneak in)

8 C water

1/2 C spinach leaves, sliced (or 1 C frozen spinach, thawed and drained)

2 T vinegar or lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste (I start out with 1/2 tsp each)

Heat the oil in a stock pot. Add the onion, celery and carrots. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occassionally. Add the garlic (only if using fresh) and bay leaves. Cook another 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (add the garlic powder now if using), and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour. Add spinach leaves and cook for another 10 minutes.

Serve hot with quick dinner rolls or corn bread.

TIPS: If you're not trying to be vegetarian, or you like a little meat with your soup, try adding diced smoked sausage, or brown some italian sausage and add. Also, substitute chicken stock for half of the water. These just add a little more flavor and texture if you're used to eating meaty meals.

TO PEEL TOMATOES: Fill a sauce pan 3/4 full with water. Bring water to a boil. Drop in tomatoes, one at a time, and allow to cook for about 10 seconds. Remove from the water and drop into a bowl of ice water. The peel will separate from the tomato and can be easily pulled off with a paring knife. If you're having problems peeling, place back in the water for 5-10 more seconds. Just be careful not to cook the tomato too much or the flesh will become mushy.