Lentils Monastery Style

Happy New Year...

I have so little free time these days, that it takes some encouragement for me to get anything new posted, as much as I enjoy doing it. The credit for my motivation this time goes to my friend Katie from work; she and her boyfriend have resolved to eat more vegetarian this year and so she was looking for some new recipes. The credit for this recipe goes to my Aunt Ellen. After having this dish a couple times at her house, I finally asked for the recipe because I thought it was sooooo good. Turns out, it's super easy, too. And hopefully pretty healthy, as well, though her handwritten recipe didn't come with any nutrition info. Served with a simple green salad and some corn muffins, it makes for a perfect wintertime vegetarian comfort meal, in my opinion...

1/4 cup olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
3 cups stock or seasoned water (I usually use water plus one Knorr's vegetable bouillon cube)
1 cup dried lentils (rinsed)
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (not drained)
1/4 cup sherry
1 cup grated Swiss cheese (or as my 4 year old son calls it, "mouse cheese")

In a large pot, saute the onions and carrot in the olive oil for about 5 minutes. Add the thyme and marjoram and saute 1 minute more. Add stock, lentils, salt to taste, parsley, and tomatoes. Cook on low in covered pot until lentils are tender (45 mins-1.5 hrs). Add sherry. Put grated cheese in a bowl and ladel the lentils on top.