More babies means more cooking for this girl, and I couldn’t be happier about it. One of my besties welcomed a sweet little boy to the world a few weeks ago and it was such a treat to spend some time loving on my friend and getting to know my new nephew. I may not be a mama myself yet but I do know a healthy homemade meal is always appreciated and it was my pleasure to feed this new sweet family of three.

Hearty Lentil Soup, serves an army (4 adults with a salad and bread plus several more meals for new mom & dad), courtesy of Food and Wine but originally from The Barefoot Contessa

• 1 pound French green lentils, picked over and rinsed
• Boiling water
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• 3 large onions, chopped
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large leeks, white and tender green parts only, chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 8 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 6 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 quarts chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons dry red wine or red wine vinegar
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

1. In a large heatproof bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and let stand for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil and add onions, garlic, leeks, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons of pepper, thyme and cumin and cook over medium until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Add the celery and carrots and cook until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste and lentils to the pot. Increase heat to high, cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 1 hour. Stir in the red wine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of Parmesan.

Delicious…we topped with parmesan and a drizzle of shallot oil