Mud Soup

Someone asked for my lentil soup recipe so here is the original:

LENTIL SOUP

2 cups lentils, rinsed

1lb sausage, made into tiny balls, or ½ lb. hot dogs, sliced

½ chopped onion

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup carrots

3T parsley

1clove garlic, minced

2 ½ t salt

Pepper

1 t oregano

16 oz canned tomatoes

2 T wine vinegar

Place lentils in soup kettle, add 8 cups water and remaining ingredients except tomatoes, vinegar and meat. Cover and simmer 1 to 2 hours. Add tomatoes and vinegar and simmer 30 more minutes. Add meat last 10 minutes.

That's the original recipe. For some reason kids think it is cool to eat mud. My daughter in law was horrified by the idea of eating something so ugly....but it only took one bite and she loves it now too. On our new diet I leave out the meat and do not miss it. I often add potatoes. I process the tomatoes so no chunks remain...it would be horrible to recognize a real tomato chunk! I increase the onion. I add garlic and a splash of tobasco. I've put everything in the crock pot and put it on high and eaten good soup about 4 hours later. I've left everything out but powdered garlic, powdered onion and thrown in leftover spaghetti sauce and it was still good.

This is what my son desires for his school lunch, EVERY DAY! He adds hot sauce or Tony's seasoning.

I'd add a picture but the last of it was eaten for breakfast this morning.