Kris' Lentil Sausage Soup

"I just wanted to add a note to be more specific about the ingredients. I'm one of those cooks that seldom follows a recipe exactly and I like to leave room for experimentation. However, for those of..." See more you saying that it's not flavorful enough, I might add a few suggestions: I use hillshire farms brand polska kielbasa made with pork, turkey, and beef. (I don't think the "all beef" is as flavorful.) Also, be sure to use the leaves of the celery...they add a powerful punch of flavor. Also, don't skimp on the bay leaves or the simmering time. The lentils don't take that long to cook, but you want to extract the flavor out of the bay leaves, and that's what takes the time. Also, this is ALWAYS better the next day. I leave the bay leaves in (probably the reason) and nobody has any trouble eating the leftovers. (Or, you can just make it a day ahead and then reheat it if you like.) Anyway, enjoy and use the ingredients that you like. -Kris"

"Three out of four in my family thought that this recipe was outstanding. The one who wasn't a big fan is only four, so we're still waiting for her taste to mature. Did I make it exactly according to..." See more the directions? Well no, of course not. Here's how it went. I used 6 c water (my hubby likes soup to be thick). Then, added two Knorr chicken boullion cubes. I used 1 1/2 c Le Puy lentils. It didn't need salt or pepper. Also, I added a dash or two of ground thyme. That's it - yum. Thanks for the recipe."

"This recipe was full of flavor, hearty, and just right for a cold wintry night! Thanks for sharing, Kris. For those who think there's not enough flavor, try using a smokier polska kielbasa -- I happ..." See moreened to have gotten ahold of some wedding kielbasy from www.andysdeli.com and it released a LOT of flavor into the soup. I rarely give 5 stars to any recipe, but this one is outstanding!"