Roasted Fennel and Carrots with Pecorino Cheese

    What can you make with a couple of root vegetables, some garlic, fresh thyme, cheese, and olive oil?  A delicious roasted vegetable side dish, that's what!  If I haven't mentioned it before, I love roasted vegetables! Roasting just brings out their natural sweetness and develops such a depth of flavor!  As the days are getting colder, this is a great side dish to go along with a meatloaf or roasted beef or chicken. So, what are you waiting for?  Grab those veggies and get roasting!  

Rustic Lentil Soup

    Today was a rather dreary day weather-wise.  It was overcast and rainy....the perfect kind of day to cook up a big pot of soup or stew.  I would say that this recipe falls somewhere between the two.  It's hearty and definitely warms the tummy.
    In Italy lentils hold a special significance, especially on New Year's Eve/Day, where they're a required part of the menu.  They symbolize wealth (their shape being reminiscent of tiny coins) and are eaten in hopes that the new year will be a prosperous one.  That has never been a part of our family tradition....I just enjoy them because they're really good and are a great source of protein, iron, and fiber. Try making this on a cold day and see if it doesn't warm you right up.