Even though it’s raining outside instead of snowing, it’s still perfect weather for soup. I didn’t realize just how easy it is to make soup from scratch until last fall, and now I can’t get enough of it. If you can chop things up and throw them in a pot, and have time to let them simmer while you’re doing other things around the house, then you can make soup. I like to refer to Kate’s post over on Aimée’s blog on how to make soup from scratch without following a recipe; I find it so much fun to experiment with new flavors and also to try and recreate some of my favorite restaurant soups at home. I like to serve many of my soups with cheddar and parsley biscuits as well, mostly because soup alone doesn’t quite fill up the hubby, but also because I love them too and because they always seem to go well with whatever we’re having. Happy soup making!

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 celery stalk, sliced
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 16 ounces dried lentils
• 1 (15 ounce) can vegetable broth
• 3 cups water
• 3 roma tomatoes, diced
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper, to taste

In a dutch oven or a large sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the onion and garlic, and sauté until the onion is tender and the garlic is light brown in color.

Add in the carrot, celery, and potatoes. Continue cooking until the vegetables soften, about 5-7 minutes.

Stir in the lentils, vegetable broth, water, tomatoes, thyme, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and stir. Cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are fully cooked.