The snow has finally started to fall.  The Blizzard of 2010 has officially begun.  We have our fully-charged phones, Kindles, and battery-powered radio.  If the power goes out, we’re ready.

And we’re ready in the kitchen, too.  Blizzards mean soup, right?!?  And a loaf of homemade bread.

The beauty of having a well-stocked larder is ya don’t have to go out pre-blizzard and buy your French Toast fixin’s…

Let it snow.  We’re set for days.

I had a nice, meaty ham bone in the freezer, so that was the “inspiration piece” for the meal.  I also had the no-knead bread dough in the ‘fridge.

Ready.  Set.  Go.

Lentil Soup

  • 1 meaty ham bone
  • 4 quarts water
  • 3 cups lentils
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, diced
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Tabasco
  • Salt and pepper

Chop and saute onion in soup pot.  When translucent, add water, bay leaves, and ham bone.  Bring to boil and then simmer, uncovered, about an hour or so.

Remove bone and let cool. Cut or pull meat from bone and set aside to add to soup.

Add lentils, carrots, and celery.  Cook about 20 minutes or until lentils and vegetables are tender. Add ham and simmer another 10 minutes, or so.

Add cayenne, Tabasco, and salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve with crusty bread and butter.

It’s a really easy and very basic.  The cayenne and Tabasco add just the slightest bit of heat.  It’s not supposed to overpower or be pronounced.  Just a bit.

And a loaf of bread always makes the meal complete.

The weather has really started blowing out there.  It may be time to make another loaf before the power goes out…