Sausage & Lentil Soup

This is one of those recipes I play with a little. Sometimes I use chicken stock instead of or as part of the water/bullion. Sometimes I just throw in "Italian Seasoning" instead of the other spices. I have also added fresh parsley at the end and I like that too. It tastes really good with crunchy bread and some Romano cheese on top.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb Sweet Italian sausage
1 large onion chopped
1 stalk celery (chopped fine)
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 cup carrot (chopped fine)
1 16 oz pkg dried lentils
8 cups water
6 tsp chicken bullion
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt -- or to taste
1/2 tsp pepper -- or to taste

PREPARATION
Rinse lentils and set aside.

Brown the sausage in your stock pot -- remove. Add the onion celery and carrot and sauté until tender -- as the veggies "sweat" scrape off the good brown bit of sausage off the bottom.

Add the sausage back into the pot with the water, lentils and remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then reduce and simmer for about 45 min.

Serve and enjoy!