Lentil Soup—what December night doesn’t seem ideal for a soup meal?

Seemed like sort of an old-fashioned thing to do—Lentil Soup. But Hubby was of a mind to devote some time in the kitchen, we had a package of lentils, and it seemed like a good ole soup night (what evening in December doesn’t qualify for being a soup night?)

He had to look no further than the lentils wrapper for a good recipe—one that called for carrots and celery as well as 1 pound of dry lentils. Toss in a ham bone for flavoring and let the mixture simmer on the stove for 1 1/2 hours.

Turned out to be a marvelous meal—warm, filling, and best of all—made by Hubby. What cook of the female variety doesn’t appreciate an offer such as that when the Christmas to-do list seems overpowering? Loved us some Lentil Soup.

Lentil Soup

1 pound dry lentils (washed)

8 cups water

3 1/2 cups beef broth

1 smoked ham bone

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

3 onions, chopped coarsely

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 bay leaf

In a 6-8 quart pot combine all ingredients; simmer soup, lid tilted, stirring occasionally for 1 1/2 hours. Discard bay leaf and remove meat from ham bone. Chop meat and stir into soup. Makes 6 to 8 servings. (Source: package of Jack Rabbit-brand Lentils)

Flexing netted a great (substitute) broccoli/carrot/cheese soup recipe

Flexibility—that great byword that characterizes most missionaries and lots of other exemplary folk—is not in my constitution. As I've mentioned before, give me LOTS of warning before you switch gears on me. And when recipes are involved, if I've picked one to feature in my blog, I've picked it—as well as the date and the occasion for which I'll prepare it. It's set in stone!

So I was zooming along gathering ingredients for a broccoli-carrot-cheese soup recipe. The recipe of choice was satisfactory enough and had lain in my "untried" section for several years. I was tearing into the package of fresh broccoli crowns when I saw it printed on the back—the recipe of my dreams for creamy broccoli soup. It contained the broccoli, carrots, and onion that I had on hand already; what's more, it already had all the substitutions made for me—low-sodium chicken broth, skim milk, salt substitute—without my having to desperately hope that my "subs" would work out OK.

Well, this was a no-brainer. My old plans had to go to make room for Creamy Broccoli Soup, whose recipe appeared on the package. Thank you, Kroger, for featuring this healthy version on your brand of broccoli crowns.

The result was the soup of my dreams, plus I just had to toss in a little cheddar cheese to give that creamy sauce a cheese-y taste. See, I can flex and do so on my own! Hubby said it was his favorite broccoli soup ever. We kept dividing the leftovers in half and dividing them again to make it stretch for as long as possible.

And my old recipe? I've tossed it. Nothing like the healthy version that was dropped in my lap, just as I was about to prepare the former one. Must have been meant to be.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

4 cups broccoli florets

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons flour

3 cups chicken broth, low-sodium (may substitute vegetable broth)

2 cups skim milk

1 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 cups low-fat shredded cheese (optional)

In large pot bring water and onion powder to boil and add broccoli, celery, and carrots. Bring to a boil, drain, and set aside. Saute onions in butter until tender. Stir in flour to form a smooth paste Slowly add broth and milk. Stir constantly. Bring to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute; add vegetables and remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until tender. Remove from heat. Add 1 1/2 cups low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, if desired. Stir until melted. Can be prepared 4 hours in advance. Makes 4 servings.