Sausage and Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, links

• 1 (1 lb) bag carrot, cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1 (16 ounce) bag lentils, rinsed and picked through
• 6 cups water

• 1 (32 ounce) carton chicken broth (4 cups)

• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, coarsely ground

Directions

1. 1

   heat 8 qt saucepot over medium heat until hot. With fork, prick sausages in a few places; add to saucepot. Cook sausages 10 - 15 min or until browned, turning occasionally. Remove to plate.

2. 2

   To sausage drippings in saucepot, add carrots, onions, and fennel. Cook over med-high heat about 10 min or until tender and lightly browned, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic; cook 1 min.

3. 3

   Add lentils, water, chicken broth, tomatoes with their juice, thyme, salt and pepper to veggies in saucepot; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 30 min, stirring occasionally.

4. 4

   Cut sausage into 1/2" thick slices; stir into soup. Heat soup to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 - 20 min longer or until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Skim off any fat and discard.