I'm the last one that should give recipes, being both a bachelor and a vegetarian, but here's one of the very few things I actually cook from scratch:

Lentil Soup

Dry lentils (a cup or so, I rarely measure...they'll triple in volume)
Yellow onion
Celery (I like to include the leafy tops)
Potato (optional, adds some body but cuts the flavor a bit)
Bay leaf
Salt, pepper

Rinse the lentils and put them on to boil with 2-3 times more water than lentils, along with the bay leaf, the onion (cut the onion into big chunks), and the celery (washed well and cut up into bite-sized pieces).
Potato optional, but small cubes if you do
Salt and pepper not optional

Boil the living dickens out of it (about a half hour or so, add water if necessary)

You can see I approach cooking as I do most things :)

Why should you be the last one to submit recipes? I'm a pro at burning water, and I submit (but only cook as a last resort :) ).

Lentil soup is great!! My wife makes it, but hasn't done so in a while. I think I'll mention it to her. Thanks for the recipe.

Out of curiosity, why did you decided to become a vegetarian? If you don't care to answer this, just ignore it.

Ed

Sounds like a recipe that would appeal to alot of people vegetarian or not. Also if they want/need to have meat in it then a few chunks of meat are easily added to it. I love lentil soup.
DJ

Ed:

It's a complicated issue (at least to explain to anyone that's not me). It's certainly not out of any health-concious drive on my part. My diet is pathetic.

I've learned from experience that more harm than good comes from discussing this in a general forum. It's a very hot subject for some people. So I'll just say it was a personal decision based on my own beliefs, and definitely not a decision I hope to foist off on others, and leave it at that.

B]I've learned from experience that more harm than good comes from discussing this in a general forum.[/B]

That's about as good a reason as one could have.

Ed

I've expanded my recipe to include mushrooms and garlic (both fresh, I use white mushrooms sliced and 2 cloves crushed garlic).

I also discovered that if you let the lentils cook for about 15 minutes before adding everything else, the whole thing doesn't get quite as gray and mushy (but don't let it burn, nasty). Usually another 15 minutes does the trick.

I love this with a bowl of Ditalini Macaroni and some
grated cheese on top.To me this kicks it up a notch.

Joseph

I've been reading recently about foods with a high glycemic index (some foods cause a disproportionate amount of insulin to be generated, not a good thing) and lentils are almost at the bottom of the list (ie: least amount of insulin generated).

Another reason to try this recipe :)

:bigthmb: Lentil Soup was always a favourite with the Scots! I've many memories from childhood helping to grate the vegies!

3 pts water
Small bacon joint to flavour
2 lb carrots - coarsely grated
2 large onions, chopped coarsely
4 oz lentils - which have been soaked overnight.
2 large leeks
Salt and pepper to taste - the salt may not be required, depending on how salty the bacon joint turns out to be!

Put water in a large pan, add the bacon joint. Bring to the boil and then simmer gently for about one hour. Skim off any fat which may have risen to the top of the pan.

Add the carrots, onions, lentils and leeks to the pan. Check seasoning and add, as required. Simmer with a lid on until the vegetables are cooked and the meat is fully cooked. At least another hour. If the soup gets too thick, just add more water.

You can either remove the boiled bacon to eat cold later, or shred and return to the soup.

........

Since migrating to OZ 34 years ago, I've varied this and substitute the bacon joint with bacon cubes and add celery.

You can also substitute the lentils with green or yellow split peas. (i.e. ham and pea soup)

To speed up the process of preparation and avoid time-consuming grating of vegies, roughly chop your vegies and cook the soup, then when cooled, put through a blender (My hubby has favoured this method for 41 years but cheekily persists no-one made soup like his mum!). And of course, 2nd day soup tastes the best!

my next youngest brother makes a lentil soup/stew that you would swear is made with beef, but it hasnt a touch in it. well, most of the time it tastes like it has beef. he's pretty haphazard about 'fixed' recipes. but, it's almost always good :)

one of these days i'll have to get that recipe from him.

Craig