Really, this soup belonged to Esau’s brother, Jacob… but a trade is a trade.

First, I gave two small onions a choppity chop.

Next, I peeled and sliced three small carrots.

Then, I peeled and diced one potato.

After that, I cut up an apple.

Finally, I did a number on a good ten cloves of garlic.

Three tablespoons of olive oil went into my dutch oven over medium-ish heat. I sauteed the onions first for about five minutes. Then I added the carrots, the potato, and half of the garlic I’d chopped. I stirred until soft-ish.

One cup of red lentils!

Apparently, when Esau was born, he was all red and covered with hair (eek!) and so his parents, Isaac and Rebekah, named him Esau. This was a word that sounded like their word for “red.” (You don’t meet too many Esaus these days.)

I added the lentils and 4 cups of veggie stock to the pot, then turned up the heat to get it boiling. Then let simmer with its lid on for 30 min.

I reached for my birthday present from my parents...

Some of the recipes the manual for the immersion blender suggested I try: exotic fruit jellies, watercress sauce, and salmon pate. Wow!

Um, I don’t think I will ever run out of bay leaves. Anything I ever cook always calls for one or two bay leaves. Is there a freaking bay leaf pie I can cook?

After thirty minutes, I threw two into the pot.

And squeezed this lemon in, too.

Surely, I had hit the “Post-Sandy, cold Sunday soup smell” home run.

The immersion blender worked like a charm. So smooth… no spills…

Yet, I still can’t help but kick it up a notch. (Or four.)

For the love of photography (and PBS), I topped it off with blueberries and almond slivers.

Love, Sylvie