by AMY FLANIGAN on FEBRUARY 11, 2013 · 44 COMMENTS

Ever since these (which I’ve made 3x now), I’ve sort of fallen back in love with kielbasa. Not that I ever fell out of love, but…well…I guess it just fell off my radar. Then those bites smacked me in the face, “Hello! Remember how awesome I am?!” 

This was a comforting, hearty soup that we all Paul, Haley, and I loved – I’ve decided Trevor’s opinion doesn’t count. I think I’m 2/50 on soups with him. Thank goodness he loves bread and butter.

Even though you don’t need an immersion blender for this soup, it’s such a handy tool to own during the winter for all the other soups that call for it. And besides, I felt like giving something great away.

The Giveaway
1 lucky U.S. reader has a chance to win a Cuisinart Quick Prep Hand Blender.

There are three ways to enter: (1) leave a comment on the blog (2) go “like” us on Facebook or (3) Already a fan? Just leave a comment on The Wall. Want to increase your chances? You can leave a comment here and on Facebook.

THIS DRAWING IS NOW CLOSED. The very lucky winner is Amy Tong. Congrats to her and thank you to all who played!

Crock Pot Lentil Soup with Kielbasa
Serves 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 5 1/2 hours on low

Ingredients
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• dash of crushed red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 6 ounces fully cooked polska kielbasa, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
• 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions
Coat a 6 quart crock pot with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large sauté pan, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes; sauté for 5-6 minutes. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add the mixture to the crock pot, along with the lentils, broth, kielbasa, and salt. Stir to combine, cover, and cook on low for 5 1/2 hours.

Stir in the herbs and lemon juice. Taste and add a touch more salt and pepper, if necessary.

NOTE: if you’re using smaller than a 6 quart crock, I would lesson the amount of broth by a cup. Also, this soup thickens the longer it cooks/sits, so if you decide to let it go for 7-8 hours, it will resemble oatmeal more than soup!

(adapted from Parents magazine)

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