I love lentil soup and decided to make a pot using up some of my leftover Christmas ham.

Total Time: Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 55 minutes
Yield: 8-10
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups diced ham
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 carrots sliced
- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 3 cups dried lentils
- salt and pepper to taste
- 10 cups water

Steps:
- Dice ham. This soup can be made with other types of meat, such as bacon or sausage. Or you can go vegetarian and add spinach or other greens.
- Peel and chop onion.

- Clean, peel, and slice carrots.
- Saute onion and carrots in olive oil until onions are translucent and carrots are beginning to soften.

- Add ham and continue cooking for a few minutes.

- Sort and rinse lentils.
- Add lentils to pot.

- Add oregano and garlic powder. You may also add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add water.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, approximately 45 minutes. Add more water if needed, continue simmering until done.
- Optional: When the lentils are cooked I mash up a cup or so of the soup and add it back to the pot. This helps thicken it.
