Sausage and Lentil Soup

Talk about comfort food! This is the BEST dinner for a cold winter day. It's even better the second day, once all the flavors meld. We like to keep it a very thick consistency, but you can add water as the lentils soak up the broth if you like it a little "soupier". We use usually use 2 spicy sausage and 1 sweet for a little kick.  To chop the onion, celery, and carrot, I just use a hand chopper, don't be too picky, just chop it all into to small pieces.  Serve with a fresh, crusty bread.  

1 pound sausage, casings removed (I use 1/2lb spicy, ½lb sweet - from Arnold's Meats)

1 large onion, small dice

2 stalk celery, small dice

3 large carrots, small dice

2 small zucchini, large chopped

6 cups chicken broth

1 28oz can low sodium, diced tomatoes, un-drained

2 cloves of garlic, pressed

1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and picked over

black pepper & dry herbs such as basil and oregano to taste

salt, if needed (probably won’t because of the sausage)

In a large dutch oven crumble and brown sausage. Add the onions, celery, and carrot and cook to soften a little. Add the rest of the ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover. Simmer for at least 1 1/2  hours. Add water if necessary.