The apple doesn't fall far from the tree...

This is my mom. 

It's not a current picture, but it's my favorite one of her. She was really something on the sailboat... handy, loving and a superior cook, despite the challenges the size of our galley brought. Whether on land or at sea, on Sunday evenings we often had soup and sandwiches. She would start a pot of something after church or a early sail, then create a meal around that soup, adding open faced sandwiches and a salad. Then she would fix us each up a tray, and we would go into our four corners - bedroom, den, living room or office - though, she and I often took to watching a program and eating our dinners together. It was my favorite day of week for a while, mostly because of dinner. The rest of the week we ate together as a family, always in the dining room, so Sundays were special. 

Here are two our favorite Sunday soups.

In each recipe, if you choose to leave out the ham bone, they become vegan and gluten free.

I have made variations of each over the years and they freeze well, are nutritionally dense, inexpensive and can easily be done in the crock pot.

Enjoy!

MARLENE'S LENTIL SOUP

 

1 1lb bag lentils (usually brown ones) 

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1-1/2 cups celery, chopped

1-1/2 cups sliced carrots-1/2 inch pieces

2-3 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 large can diced tomatoes

1 ham bone, optional (ham hocks will do and are easier to get, but not much meat on them)

4 tomato cans worth of water

1 Tbsp ground cumin seed

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Rinse lentils in a colander. Heat oil in large soup pot, add onion, celery and garlic. Saute over medium-high heat until vegetables are softened and fragrant, about five minutes. Add carrots, tomatoes, water, cumin seed, salt and pepper. The ham bone is important for flavor, but soup will still be good without it, just different. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cover the pot, but tilt lid, so soup can cook down. Put the fan on and simmer for about two hours, stirring occasionally. Add water if necessary, a cup at a time. When soup is done, remove ham bone to a colander set over a bowl to catch liquid. Let bone cool. Remove ham, cut up pieces and return to pot. Good for dinner with a salad and some good bread. Put in storage container(s) and eat for lunch or freeze some for the future. Note: I wash a bunch of celery and cut it straight across, leaves and all; just easier.

 

MARLENE'S SPLIT PEA SOUP

 

1 1lb bag split peas (green or yellow)

1 large onion, diced

1-1/2 cups chopped celery

1-1/2 cups sliced carrots - 1/2" slices

1-2 large cloves garlic

2 quarts water

1 ham bone

Salt (start with 1 tsp)  and pepper to taste

1 cup parsley (any kind), chopped

 

Rinse the peas in a colander. Heat oil in large soup pot, add onion, celery and garlic. Saute over medium-high heat until vegetables are softened and fragrant, about five minutes. Add carrots, water, salt and pepper and ham bone. (I have never made pea soup without a ham bone or ham hocks.) Bring soup to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cover with lid cocked slightly to let out steam. Put the fan on and cook for about two hours, stirring occasionally (set the timer if you think you'll forget and carry it with you.) When soup is done, remove ham bone or ham hocks to a colander set over a bowl to catch the liquid. Let cook and remove meat from bone. Add ham to pot with the chopped parsley. It will cook a little in the hot soup and add to flavor and looks good. Have for dinner with a salad and some good bread. Save the rest in container(s) for lunch or freeze for the future, called "frozen assets". Note: I wash a bunch of celery and cut it straight across, leaves and all; just easier that way.