Got a rejection earlier this week which is nice! It means I've been submitting stories. I've got reminders set for another three markets opening up soon I can submit to, and I'm excited to see how that goes. I've also kept up writing new stories and that's been really fun and relaxing.

I post a bean dish every week but I haven't posted a recipe yet, so here's a recent simple one for lentil soup that I've made a few times now and like a lot:

• Half a pound of pardina lentils (brown or green lentils work too), rinsed and sorted
• Oil or butter to saute things in
• 1 medium-ish onion
• Garlic to taste
• About 3 carrots (cut into about half inch rounds/chunks)
• About 3 yukon gold potatoes (cut into about half inch chunks)
• Your favorite bouillion, to taste
• A few tablespoons of tomato paste
• Some dried herbs, salt, pepper, etc.

You really do want to make sure you sort and rinse the lentils. I suppose you could use canned or pre-cooked lentils for this. If you do, then don't put them in until maybe the last 10 minutes or so just to warm them through. Other than that, it's just a soup. Chop or dice your onions and garlic, saute those in oil with some salt and tomato paste. Once those seem good to go, add water (about 4 cups should be good) and bouillion (or the same amount of broth/stock if you prefer that route). Throw in the potatoes and carrots and get that up to a boil for a bit, maybe 10 minutes, then add in the lentils. Cook at somewhere between a simmer and a boil for about half an hour, or a little longer if you like more of a stew texture. Toward the end of cooking add seasonings to taste. It's ready once the lentils, potatoes, and carrots are all soft, so be sure to test them (it's why you cut them fairly small). Serve with some warm bread and butter or maybe a side salad once they stop recalling lettuce.

This makes a good amount of hearty leftovers which means I can spend more time reading and writing and not having to worry about what to have for lunch for at least a handful of days. I got 1,000 words of a new short story down this morning and then got to have some lovely soup and toasted bread.

That's all for now, and I hope you have a good one.

-Verdigristle 8.29.26