*This can be a Once A Month Cooking (OAMC )Recipe

On New Years we traditionally have black-eyed peas but this year I found at the last minute that I didn’t have them and substituted lentils.

Wow, I was pleasantly surprised! The lentils gave the stew a mellower flavor than the black eyed peas and I really liked it.

Plan on doing this in the crockpot for best results. The long slow cooking allows the flavors to mix and the onions and garlic to cook down without causing the lentils to become too mushy.  Serve with a salad and a crusty bread, a simple poached pear or pear tart for dessert would be fantastic.

Andouille & Lentil Stew

1 lb lentils, cooked until just tender- about 15–20 minutes

2 lbs Pecan Smoked Andouille Sausage , sliced in thick slices

2 onions chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

1 bell pepper chopped

2 large cans Muir Glen Organic Tomatoes

1 tsp cracked black pepper

3 cloves garlic chopped

1 lb fresh, organic, baby spinach

2 cups of water

Put all together in crockpot on low and cook 6-8 hours. Serves 12-16. Adjust salt an pepper after cooking..The Andouille is rather spicy.

You can freeze this in 2 or 3 batches if you want to use it for a Once A Month Cooking Recipe.  To freeze: Place desired amount in gallon size freezer bags and lay in a single layer on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Freeze. Remove from cookie sheet, label with name, date, and amount. When you are ready to cook remove from freezer, thaw and heat through.

Post from: Baking Delights