Patch Recipes: Bring on the New Year Lentil-Style

Who doesn't want to be wealthier in 2013? To get started toward your financial upswing, be sure eat a big bowl or two of lentil soup. For Hungarians and various other cultures, lentil soup is a New Year's Day favorite because it symbolizes wealth and the hope of a good year for personal finances.

Here is a recipe for lentil soup from Victoria Hart Glavin, blogger for the Patch site in New Canaan, Conn. She says the ham bone is optional, so vegetarians can also enjoy this meal in a bowl.

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried lentils
• 1 ham bone
• 2 quarts eater
• 1 ficed onion
• 2 chopped celery stalks
• 2 chopped carrots
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Sort and rinse the dried lentils. In a large size soup pot add the water, lentils, ham bone, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, kosher salt and pepper.  Reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook for 2 1/2 hours making sure to stir occasionally. Turn off the heat and remove the ham bone from the soup.  Remove any of the ham from the bone, chop into pieces and add back to the lentil soup. Remove the bay leaf and serve hot along with crusty bread and a nice green salad. Serves six.