Lentil, Sausage and Squash Soup

This soup started out of necessity, I made a big pot of chicken stock and I have no freezer room for it and there were two sad delicata squash begging to be cooked. I love a nice hearty soup that can count as the entire meal and this one fits the bill.

Here's what you need:

3 chopped onions

3 chopped carrots

3 chopped celery stalks

2 delicata squash roasted and chopped

1 lb bulk Italian sausage

1 can diced tomatoes 

1 lb dried lentils

2 quarts chicken stock

Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Crushed rosemary

Start by roasting the squash, I didn't go too crazy here, just cut and remove the seeds, season and brush with a little oil. Roast at 425 on a baking sheet for 30 minutes. In that time you will have your soup all made and ready for the squash. 

While you are browning the sausage in a heavy soup pot, chop the usual mire poix suspects. Remove sausage and drain the fat. Add the onion, carrot and celery, season with salt, pepper, garlic and cook over medium heat until wilted, around 10 minutes. Add the lentils and canned tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, add the sausage and finally the roasted squash. I just used a spoon to scoop it from the skins. Simmer for about an hour, stirring frequently to keep the lentils from sticking to the bottom. You may need to add a little more liquid. Season with some fresh chopped parsley and rosemary and check for salt. You want it to go from looking like this:

To more like this: 

This kind of soup is so much better tomorrow!