Lentil & Pasta Stew

Warm up with a big bowl of this stick-to-your-ribs stew. Loaded with chopped smoked sausage, hearty veggies and tender lentils, it’s terrific with bread fresh from the oven.

—Geraldine Saucier, Albuquerque, NM

Prep: 25 min. • Cook: 8 hours • Makes: 8 servings

• ½ lb. smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, chopped
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 1 cup cubed peeled potatoes
• ¾ cup sliced fresh carrots
• 1 celery rib, sliced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 cup uncooked ditalini or other small pasta
• Shredded Romano cheese

1. 1. In a large skillet, brown the kielbasa in olive oil and butter. Add potatoes, carrots, celery and onion. Cook and stir for 3 minutes over medium heat. Transfer to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker.
2. 2. Stir in the broth, lentils, tomatoes, bay leaf, pepper and salt. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until lentils are tender.
3. 3. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Stir pasta into the slow cooker. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle individual servings with cheese.

1 cup: 364 cal., 18g fat (6g sat. fat), 30mg chol., 1021mg sod., 36g carb. (3g sugars, 9g fiber), 15g pro.