FOODIE FRIDAY -- Lentil Stew with Hot Italian Sausage

There’s only one reason to like cold weather, and it comes under the category of SOUPS and STEWS.

I had lentils. I had ham. I had three recipes. What more could I ask for?

Well, I decided to make this stoup (stew/soup) in the crock pot because I knew I would be in and out all day on Monday, which was Martin Luther King Day and the kidlet was out of school. But, which recipe?

I decided to do a combination of all three recipes, and this is the result of my endeavor. And no, I didn’t use the ham . . . I opted for the hot Italian sausage from the freezer.

*soak the lentils overnight* I didn’t do that and they were . . . um, slightly crunchy.*

Lentil Stew with Hot Italian Sausage

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
4 small new potatoes, diced
1 Tbls. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. thyme
2 tsp. ground savory
2 bay leaves
1 lb. hot Italian sausage, casings removed and broken up
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 lb brown lentils, rinsed, sorted and soaked
5 cups chicken broth

Place all ingredients into crockpot. Turn on high for 2 hours. Stir. Turn to low for 6-8 hours. Taste for seasoning and adjust to taste.

To make it more soup-y use only ½ lb lentils (1/2 bag).

 Enjoy!