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Hello, foodies…

Sometimes…just sometimes…the ITKWD(R) team does some pretty amazing things when we put our minds to it. (KIDDING. I happen to think we’re pretty darn clever.) But anyway, we did put some extra forethought into this month’s recipes, so each isn’t just a stand-alone dish. We thought you might like to serve some things together. So this Sunday, we’re making my Slow Cooker Tomato-Lentil Soup. 

Then on Wednesday, we’re making my Slow Cooker Focaccia with Italian Herbs.

You’ll have to wait 'til Monday for Wednesday’s recipe, but wouldn’t they make a terrific combination!?

Slow Cooker Tomato-Lentil Soup

Serves 8

Go to David’s Recipe Item Page for the full list of ingredients that David has used in his recipes.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-1/2 cups dried lentils, rinsed
• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1-1/2 cup water
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh marjoram
• 2 Tbsp fresh chopped oregano
• 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil

Preparation:

1. Put the olive oil, onions, carrots, garlic, salt, pepper, and bay leaf into a 6-quart slow cooker and toss until evenly coated. Add the rinsed lentils, crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, water, marjoram, and oregano. Stir until well combined.
2. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 9–10 hours or high for 4–5 hours, or until the lentils are tender. When the soup is done, remove the bay leaf and add the chopped parsley and basil. Stir and serve.

I’m often asked about freezer-friendly recipes…which can be frozen, which can’t be frozen, and do I have any favorites. Well, here’s a great one, foodies. Soups are one of my favorite things to freeze because there’s nothing like having a homemade soup on hand when it's the middle of winter, the snow is flying, and you can’t get to the supermarket. Dairy-based ingredients tend to separate in the freezer. But because broth is the base in this recipe, it’s perfect for freezing.

On another note, did you know that October is National Pasta AND National Pumpkin Month? I just shared a recipe on About.com (and I’d be honored if you gave it a read) that calls for both ingredients as well as the world’s most perfect food: bacon. And, naturally I couldn’t get it out of my head after I wrote about it, so I made my Stuffed Shells with Pumpkin Bacon Sauce that very night.

Now go celebrate October and all of its delicious foods. I’ll see you on Sunday at Noon ET for In the Kitchen with David.

Keep it flavorful!

—David