Tea Cake

STEP ONE

Cake Mix

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup pure cane sugar

3 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 3/4 cup buttermilk

1 3/4 cup vegetable oil

First preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  This next part is very easy!  Just sift together the dry ingredients and then whisk together the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.  Slowly add them together until well mixed.  Then spoon into a deep 9×13 (or shallow 11×15) dish that has been greased and lightly floured.  Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degress and then drop the temperature down to 250 degrees.  Bake for another 30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a test stick inserted in the middle comes out clean. 

STEP TWO 

Glaze

1/4 cup pure cane sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup butter

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For this next part get out a small pot and combine the first four ingredients and while stirring  continuously bring to a slight boil.  Set aside and add vanilla.  Take your testing stick and poke holes all over the warm cake and spoon this glaze evenly over it.  If there is extra glaze on the edges just take your tester stick and pull the edge away so it falls down the sides all around.  Put cake in a cool place and let cool completely before frosting!  I let mine cool over night in the refrigerator with foil over the top. 

STEP THREE

Frosting

8 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 stick of unsalted butter

1 teaspoon  pure vanilla extract

2 cups powdered sugar ( or more to taste)

4 tablespoons heavy cream

Beat first three ingredients in large mixing bowl.  Slowly add the powdered sugar and last the cream until the mixture is creamy and spreadable.  Spread over the top of your cake and slice.

Ham and Egg Pie

This is great breakfast pie when you don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. or when you have guests and still don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen..... the perfect fast breakfast. 

1 - 17 ounce package frozen  puff pastry, thawed (as per manufacturer's instructions)(can also use homemade puff pastry)(I usually use Pepperidge Farms)

1/2 pound Black Forest Ham, thinly sliced and cut into pieces

7 large eggs, at room temperature

3 Tablespoons green onions, finely chopped

2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Crushed pepper flakes (optional)

Egg Wash:

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 Tablespoon milk

1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and place the oven rack in  the center of the oven.  

I use a 9 inch quiche pan, or pie plate (pan).

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one sheet puffed pastry to fit pie plate (pan).

Gently transfer the pastry to the pan.  Evenly arrange 1/2 of the ham in the bottom of the pastry that you just put in the pie dish.  Then sprinkle the ham with the green onions, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and crushed pepper flakes.   Break 7 eggs and place them evenly on top of the onions.  Gently prick each yolk with a fork but do not stir the yolks and whites together.  Top with the remaining ham.  Roll the second sheet of puff pastry and place over the ham, pinching the two sheets of puff pastry together.  Trim off any excess pastry with a sharp knife.  Optional... gather up all the left over scrap puff pastry scraps roll out and cut into shapes...  (use small cookie cutter shapes) Place on top of the puff pastry crust of the ham and egg pie.

Egg Wash:

Beat egg with milk and brush the top of the puff pastry.  Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.  Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.  remove from oven and cool on wire rack for at least 15 minutes.  Serve hot, or at room temperature, or cold..... your preference.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Magic Miracle Broth from Rebecca Katz

I want to start off by thanking Rebecca Katz for her knowledge, that she has so genersouly shared on her website and through her recipes and recipe books and through her YouTube videos.  Please check out her website .   I have take this directly from her site and hope everyone who sees this blog will try it..... It truly amazing!

Oh my.... This broth has help keep great nutrients in my husbands diet, while he is going through chemo.  It is a very mild and very tasty broth.  We are always looking for the best solutions for staying as healthy as possible though this great fight.   Let me add that we have great faith that all will be well in the end, because of our great physician... The Lord!  But one must do all they can do, then leave it to the Lord.

Let me share how I found this great broth.... As I was combing the Internet for information on cooking for healthier life style and cooking for cancer patients, way before we knew that my husband had cancer, I found two different places/ blogs where someone had mention this magic miracle broth or magic miracle chicken broth and how it had helped their loved ones fight their cancer battle, that it was the only thing that they could really eat during their process... I had made a mental note of it!  Then many months later...  I was looking for recipe books....  for Cooking for Cancer... Now that I knew what we were up against... I found this book, that I bought  The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing, Big-Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Recovery by Rebecca Katz, I didn't put two and two together until I started making the broth for the first time...  The ingredients I noticed that they where similar so I had pulled the blog back up and found that it was the same broth...  I don't think that this was a coincidence at all!   

You, too, can be a healer: Magic Mineral Broth

This is Rebecca Katzs' Rosetta Stone of soup..... a broth that can be transformed to meet a myriad nutritional needs, serving as everything from a delicious sipping tea to the powerful base for more hearty soups and stews. So no matter what a person’s appetite, it can provide a tremendous nutritional boost. This rejuvenating liquid, chock-full of magnesium, potassium, and sodium, allows the body to refresh and restore itself. I think of it as a tonic, designed to keep you in tip-top shape.

Ingredients

Makes 6 quarts

6 unpeeled carrots, cut into thirds
2 unpeeled yellow onions, cut into chunks
1 leek, white and green parts, cut into thirds
1 bunch celery, including the heart, cut into thirds
4 unpeeled red potatoes, quartered
2 unpeeled Japanese or regular sweet potatoes, quartered
1 unpeeled garnet yam, quartered
5 unpeeled cloves garlic, halved
1/2 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 (8-inch) strip of kombu*
12 black peppercorns
4 whole allspice or juniper berries
2 bay leaves
8 quarts cold, filtered water
1 teaspoon sea salt

*Kombu is a mineral-rich seaweed (in the kelp family) that adds an umami or savory flavor to stocks and broths. Kombu is usually found in the Asian section of a grocery store near the nori (seaweed sheets) that are used for sushi.  Store dried Kombu in a cool dark area in your pantry. 

Preparations

Rinse all of the vegetables well, including the kombu. In a 12-quart or larger stockpot, combine the carrots, onions, leek, celery, potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam, garlic, parsley, kombu, peppercorns, allspice berries, and bay leaves. Fill the pot with the water to 2 inches below the rim, cover, and bring to a boil.
Remove the lid, decrease the heat to low, and simmer, uncovered, for at least 2 hours. As the broth simmers, some of the water will evaporate; add more if the vegetables begin to peek out. Simmer until the full richness of the vegetables can be tasted.
Strain the broth through a large, coarse-mesh sieve (remember to use a heat-resistant container underneath), then add salt to taste.
Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 2 to 4 hours
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days or in the freezer for 4 months.
Per Serving: Calories: 45; Total Fat: 0 g (0 g saturated, 0 g monounsaturated);
Carbohydrates: 11 g; Protein: 1 g; Fiber: 2 g; Sodium: 140 mg

Her theory: the health is IN the flavor -- what I call “the power of YUM.”

Rebecca's words.... And it’s not just me! Science shows that the arsenal of phytochemicals, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and vital minerals in vegetables, herbs and spices can help you keep the disease switch turned OFF.
Read more about epigenetics and gene expression in my blog post, Get ready, get set... to be empowered!  

Us Magic Mineral Broth makers know to make a big pot full every so often and freeze it in 2 quart containers so we are READY to make the best soups in town AND to help loved ones with deeply nourishing, warming, comforting broth when in need.

On her Website, she has other recipes and recipe books, you should check them out.... We have tried many of the recipes and they are so good!

Kings Ranch Casserole

I found two places that have great Kings Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipes, its hard to decide which I like better... I like them both! 

Deep South Dish and Southern Living

Here are both recipes, try them... you be the judge!

Prep time: 25 min |Cook time: 35 min |

Yield: About 10 servings

Ingredients

Chicken Seasoning:

• 4 cups of cooked chopped or shredded chicken
• 2 teaspoons of chili powder
• 1/2 tablespoon of cumin powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning or cayenne

Sauce: 

• 1/4 cup (1/2 a stick) of unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 1/2 cup of chopped red, yellow or orange bell pepper
• 1 cup of chopped poblano pepper
• 1 can of mild Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, drained
• 1 cup of chicken stock or broth
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• 2 teaspoons of lime zest
• 1/8 cup of chopped fresh cilantro
• Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

For Layering:

• 12 corn tortillas
• 2 cups of shredded jack cheese or pepper jack
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• Additional sour cream and cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with non-stick spray; set aside. Place the chicken in a bowl and add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and cayenne. Toss well and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet and stir in the flour. Cook and stir for about 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the chopped onion and peppers; cook and stir just until tender, but not browned. Add the drained tomatoes, cook and stir another 2 minutes. Slowly add in the chicken broth, then the cream, stirring until fully incorporated and heated through. Remove and set aside 1/3 cup of the sauce. Add the chicken to the skillet, stir to heat through, add the sour cream, lime zest, cilantro, and salt and pepper; mix well and remove from heat. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Add the reserved 1/3 cup of sauce to the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spread out. Add 6 whole corn tortillas to the bottom of the dish, overlapping them. Spoon the chicken mixture over the top of that. Mix the two shredded cheeses together; sprinkle 2 cups of the cheese on top of the chicken mixture. Repeat layers of corn tortillas, chicken mixture and ending with the remaining 2 cups of cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned on top. For nice layered slices, let the casserole rest at least 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with a dab of sour cream and a sprinkle of freshly chopped cilantro, if desired.

Cook's Notes: I used meat from a roasted chicken that I had previously cooked and frozen, broth made from Better than Bouillon, a chipotle chili powder, smoked cumin, and sweet onion. This casserole can be assembled and refrigerated or frozen. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature and bake. May also use flour tortillas.

Tip: Dip the tortillas in chicken broth before putting in the dish, and says it really makes a difference and is even better if you have some rich hen broth. She also adds some diced pimiento.

Shortcut King Ranch: Shortcut the process by using canned cream soups. Skip the butter and flour roux and homemade sauce (broth, cream, and sour cream) and substitute a family sized can of cream of mushroom, or a combination of two regular sized cans, one cream of chicken, the other cream of mushroom. Adjust or eliminate salt as needed. Instead of corn tortillas, you can also roughly crumble in some plain tortilla chips, though you'll need to consider the sodium level and likely eliminate the salt. Can also shred the tortillas, but you'll need more of them.

Beef King Ranch: Substitute 2 pounds of cooked and drained ground beef or about 4 cups of shredded, cooked beef roast or brisket and beef stock or broth.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com   

• Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (4 1/2- to 5-lb. ) whole chicken
• 2 celery ribs, cut into 3 pieces each
• 2 carrots, cut into 3 pieces each
• 2 1/2 to 3 tsp. salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, pressed

• 1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of chicken soup
• 2 (10-oz.) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Mexican-style chili powder*
• 3 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 12 (6-inch) fajita-size corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips

Preparation

1. If applicable, remove giblets from chicken, and reserve for another use. Rinse chicken.
2. Place chicken, celery, carrots, and salt in a large Dutch oven with water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 50 minutes to 1 hour or until chicken is done. Remove from heat. Remove chicken from broth; cool 30 minutes. Remove and reserve 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Strain any remaining cooking liquid, and reserve for another use.
3. Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 6 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add bell pepper and garlic, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in reserved 3/4 cup cooking liquid, cream of mushroom soup, and next 5 ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes.
4. Skin and bone chicken; shred meat into bite-size pieces. Layer half of chicken in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Top with half of soup mixture and 1 cup Cheddar cheese. Cover with half of corn tortilla strips. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese.
5. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*1 tsp. chili powder and 1/8 tsp. ground red pepper may be substituted for Mexican-style chili powder.

Lightened King Ranch Chicken Casserole: Reduce butter to 1 Tbsp. Substitute reduced-fat cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup for regular and 2% reduced-fat cheese for regular. Prepare recipe as directed through Step 4. Bake, covered, at 350° for 50 minutes; uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Cracker Barrel 2% Milk Natural Sharp Cheddar Cheese.

Quick-and-Easy King Ranch Chicken Casserole: Substitute 1 (2-lb.) skinned, boned, and shredded deli-roasted chicken for whole chicken, 3 cups coarsely crumbled lime-flavored white corn tortilla chips for corn tortillas, and 3/4 cup chicken broth for cooking liquid. Omit celery, carrots, and salt. Prepare recipe as directed, beginning with Step 3.

Source: Southern Living

Rhubarb Crumb Cake

Gracie and I made a cake today, 

took it out of the oven and before it was done cooling..... 

someone or somebodies have a tasty treat.  

This rhubarb crumb cake has never lasted very long around my house.  

An old family recipe. 

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. soda

1 cup thick sour cream

2 cups flour

1 1/2 rhubarb, cut into small cube size

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup nuts

Cream together butter, brown sugar, stir in eggs and blend well.  Combine soda in the cour cream, add flour.  Stir in rhubarb and vanilla.  Pour batter into greased and floured 9 X 13 inch pan.  Sprinkle with topping and bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 60 minutes.

Topping 

1/2 cup sugar  

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 Tablesppons butter

Combine and sprinkle over cake batter and bake.   

We'll with in less than 24 hours this cake was gone !

Everyone asked if I would make another as soon as possible : )

Vanilla-Coconut Pound Cake

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

1. 3 cups all-purpose flour
2. ½ teaspoon salt
3. ¼ teaspoon baking soda
4. 3 cups sugar
5. 1½ cups softened unsalted butter
6. 6 large eggs
7. 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
8. ½ vanilla bean split lengthwise and scraped, seeds reserved
9. 1 teaspoon coconut extract
10. Garnish: toasted shredded coconut

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325˚. Spray a 10-inch Bundt pan with nonstick baking spray with flour; set aside. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. In a separate large bowl and using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and sour cream to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Add the vanilla-bean seeds and coconut extract, and mix well. Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove cake from pan, and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Garnish with toasted shredded coconut, if desired.

Notes

1. To create the garnish, drizzle cake with melted white chocolate, and top with fresh currants.

Sweet Zucchini Cupcakes

PREP: 20 MINS  TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 30 MINS YIELD: MAKES 12

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)

1 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts

1 zucchini (10 ounces), coarsely grated (1 1/2 cups)

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cups of a standard (12-cup) muffin tin with paper or foil liners. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in nuts.

In another bowl, combine zucchini, oil, eggs, and vanilla; add to flour mixture, and mix just until combined (do not overmix).

Divide batter evenly among cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

Cool in tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes; turn cupcakes out, right side up, and cool completely. Meanwhile, make frosting. Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread frosting on cupcakes. The frosted cupcakes are best eaten within 1 day.

Cream Cheese Frosting

YIELD: MAKES ENOUGH FOR 12 CUPCAKES

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons room-temperature unsalted butter

4 ounces room-temperature bar cream cheese

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract; beat until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract; beat until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 day.

Applesauce Spice Muffins

Gracie and I made these this last fall, she was 3 years old.  We had so much fun here in Nana's kitchen baking these muffins.  Gracie really enjoys helping in the kitchen.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups store-bought applesauce

1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature

We added just a little bit of ground allspice also.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin and a 6-cup tin with paper liners. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves together into a medium bowl. Set aside.

Put 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, the granulated sugar, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs, one at a time. On low speed, mix in applesauce and then flour mixture. Stir in nuts by hand.

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely in tins on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, in the clean bowl of electric mixer, mix cream cheese with remaining 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter and 1 cup brown sugar on medium speed until smooth. Spread cream-cheese frosting on muffins.

COOK'S NOTE

Muffins can be refrigerated in airtight containers up to 2 days.

Lentil and Ham Soup ***Variations***

Variation #1

8-10 cups good, rich soup stock or canned chicken broth.
• 1/2 pound (1-1/2 cups) lentils
• 6 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup chopped leeks
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 2 cups diced, roasted tomatoes with juice or 1 15-ounce can chopped, stewed tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

I simmered the meaty ham bone with onions, celery, carrots and 2 bay leaves for several hours, strained the broth and then began preparation of this simple and hearty soup.  If you have any chunks of ham from the bone, remove them and slice into bite sized pieces.  Add at the end of the simmering process.

Wash and pick over the lentils. Place in large pot with the soup stock and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 1-1/2 hours, or until lentils are soft.

Saute bacon pieces in a large saute pan. Add leeks, carrots and onion and saute till tender and add to the lentils. Add salt and pepper, thyme, mustard and vinegar. Simmer for about an hour. If you want a thicker soup turn up the heat and reduce to desired consistency. Add a can of chicken stock if the soup is a little thick.

The pot can simmer on the back of the stove for several hours and the flavors just get better.

Variation #2

10-12 ServingsPrep: 5 min. Cook: 2 hours 10 min.

Ingredients

• 1 meaty ham bone
• 6 cups water
• 1-1/4 cups dried lentils, rinsed
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 to 3 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery ribs, sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 12 ounces bulk pork sausage, cooked and drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, bring ham bone and water to a boil. Reduce heat;
• cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours.
• Remove ham bone. To broth, add the lentils, tomatoes, carrots,
• celery, onions and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover
• and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until lentils and vegetables are
• tender.
• Meanwhile, remove ham from bone; coarsely chop. Add the ham, sausage
• and parsley to soup; heat through. Yield: 10-12 servings (3 quarts).

Variation #3

Serving Ideas : You can also add ground beef or ham if you would like to, but it certainly isn’t necessary. If you don’t have the carrots, that’s fine too, and one onion will do if that’s all you have on hand.

1/2 pound bacon — chopped
2 whole onions — chopped
3 stalks celery — with leaves
2 whole carrots — diced
3 cloves garlic — minced
1 pound lentils — washed
2 pounds canned tomatoes — with juice
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, or more if you like thyme
1 teaspoon chile pepper flakes
1 tablespoon salt

1. In a large, heavy pot sauté the bacon over medium heat until the fat is rendered. If you are using grocery store bacon, you may want to pour off some of the fat. If using meaty bacon, leave the fat in the pan. Add onions, celery, carrots and garlic and sauté until the vegetables are semi-transparent. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, herbs and chiles and lentils, then add water to about 1-2 inches above the level of the bean mixture in the pot. You may have to add additional water as the lentils cook.
2. Simmer for about 45 minutes or an hour until the lentils are completely cooked through, adding additional water if needed. Add salt to taste, and add pepper if desired.

Variation #4

Spicy Lentil Soup

I found this recipe on the TastingSpoons.com site and just can't wait to try it...  But it looks so good I just want to share it since I was talking about Lentil Soup recipes!



Zuppa Toscana ~ Olive Garden

      
       Serving 8   
       

Ingredients

1 pound italian pork sausage ( mild or spicy )
4 potatoes ( 4 -6 Yukon Gold, diced into 1 inch chunks )   
1 yellow onions ( large, diced )
2 clove(s) garlic ( minced )
2 cups kale ( diced )
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes ( 1/2 - 1 teaspoon )   
2 Can (8 oz) chicken broth
4 cups water
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

Directions
1. Cook ground sausage in skillet and set aside.
2. In a large pot, cook the potatoes and onion and garlic in the chicken stock and water on medium heat until potatoes are done.
3. Add sausage and kale and red pepper flakes into the pot with the potatoes and simmer until kale is softened.
4. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer until heated thru.
5. Serve with your favorite bread.