Lentil Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (1 lb.) pkg. lentils
1/4 lb. bacon, diced
2 medium onions, sliced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 qt. water
1 c. celery, sliced
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 large potato, pared
1 ham bone
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Preparation

Wash lentils and soak overnight covered in cold water.
Drain lentils.
In Dutch oven saute diced bacon until golden.
Add sliced onions and diced carrots and saute until onions are golden.
Add lentils, water, sliced celery, salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaves. With medium grater, grate peeled potato into lentil mixture; add ham bone.
Simmer, covered, 3 hours.
Lentils should be nice and tender.
Remove bay leaves and ham bone.
Cut all the bits of meat from bone and return meat to soup.
If you are serving at once, add the lemon juice.
If you are planning to serve another time, just refrigerate the soup and add lemon juice before serving.