Winter Lentil Soup

It is soup season and I am so so excited! I truly believe that Winter is my time to experiment with my meals, especially with soups! I usually try and have at least one night a week for soup with bread of course. If you are like me and go grocery shopping once a week, try having your "soup night" dinner on the day before you go grocery shopping. This will be your last chance to use your veggies that could be starting go, and a soup is a perfect place for them!


Here is one of my favorite soups! It is easy and oh so delicious!

Winter Lentil Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 leek (white and light green parts), cut into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 cup spinach (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup lentils (any color works)

1 tablespoon thyme

salt and black pepper, to taste

Grated Parmesan (optional)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.

Add 6 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Stir in the sweet potatoes, lentils, thyme, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer until the lentils are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Add in spinach for the last 5 minutes. 

Spoon into bowls and top with the Parmesan, if using.

I hope you enjoy this soup as my family does. Hubby loves it (add its vegetarian)!!! Hailey loves it (we have her cooled sweet potatoes and lentils)!!! I love it for so many reasons. One main one is that it is a vegetarian dinner, secondly, this soup only takes about 45 minutes to make! How awesome is that?! 

-Kir

Homemade Garlic Butter Croutons

First off, I love bread! Secondly, I love butter and garlic! Anytime I have a salad for dinner I must have some croutons in there. I love this recipe because I can use whatever spices I am feeling and I can use whatever leftover bread I have around the house. For these yummy croutons you're going need some bread. Any kind of bread will do, in these pictures I used a loaf of french bread my dad brought home to my mom. (Lucky for me it was rock hard so I got to bring it on home with me...poor daddy, he tried so hard). Alright lets make these things!

 Here is my starting loaf of bread. Now cube it into whatever size croutons you would like.

Here is what my size cubes look like.

My bread is all cubed and thrown into a bowl.

Now we need to make our seasoning. I always start with butter!

Next I added 2 cloves minced garlic and let that get all soaked in and smelling delicious on the stove for about 20 minutes or so on low.

Then I added these spices about 1 Tablespoon each to the butter mixture.

Mix all together in the bowl.

And here is my end product. Yummy homemade croutons that hardly cost anything at all. I also love the fact that I know exactly what was put in these!

Homemade Garlic Butter Croutons Recipe

Preheat oven to 350.

Bread cubes  (approx 3 cups)

 2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup of butter, melted

1 Tablespoon each basil, paprika, and parsley (any spices work)

Cube bread into desired sized croutons. Set aside in large bowl. Melt butter and add minced garlic on low for about 20 minutes. Add spices to butter mixture and pour over bread cubes. Stir, make sure all cubes have some buttery goodness on them. Place on a parchment covered cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes. Time varies on cube size, but checking every ten minutes or so helps to get desired golden brownness. Let cool, place in Ziploc bag, label and enjoy on your next salad or soup!

Husband's Rating and Comments: 5 M's for Mmmmm yummy! I'm not a huge salad fan but these make it worth it.  

Enjoy! 

-Kirsten