Making pantry meals with canned lentils

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How I canned some lentil soup so I can have a cozy meal ready in my pantry.

From Garden to Pantry: Canning Cozy Lentil Soup

As the days grow shorter and the air gets crisper, there's nothing quite like the comfort of a warm bowl of lentil soup. Imagine having this cozy meal ready to go, right from your pantry. With a little bit of effort, you can preserve the flavors of your garden and enjoy them all year round. Here's how I canned some lentil soup to keep that cozy feeling within arm's reach.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried lentils (any variety)

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 carrots, diced

• 3 celery stalks, diced

• 1 bell pepper, chopped

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 2 cups water

• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh herbs from the garden (parsley, basil, or cilantro)

Instructions:

1. Prepare Your Jars:

   • Start by sterilizing your canning jars, lids, and bands. You can do this by boiling them in water for 10 minutes or running them through a hot cycle in your dishwasher.

2. Cook the Soup:

   • In a large pot, sauté the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and bell pepper until they are tender.

   • Add the lentils, vegetable broth, water, diced tomatoes, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.

   • Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.

3. Fill the Jars:

   • Remove the bay leaf from the soup.

   • Ladle the hot soup into the sterilized jars, leaving about 1 inch of headspace at the top.

   • Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth to ensure a good seal.

   • Place the lids on the jars and screw on the bands until they are fingertip tight.

4. Process the Jars:

   • Place the filled jars in a pressure canner. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for your specific canner.

   • Process the jars at 10 pounds of pressure for 75 minutes for pint jars or 90 minutes for quart jars.

   • Once the processing time is complete, turn off the heat and let the canner cool down naturally before removing the jars.

5. Cool and Store:

   • Carefully remove the jars from the canner and place them on a towel or cooling rack.

   • Let the jars cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours.

   • Check the seals by pressing down on the center of each lid. If it doesn't pop back, the jar is sealed.

   • Label the jars with the date and contents, and store them in a cool, dark place.

Enjoy Your Cozy Meal:

Whenever you're in the mood for a comforting bowl of lentil soup, simply grab a jar from your pantry, heat it up, and enjoy. The flavors of your garden will bring warmth and comfort to even the coldest days.

Happy canning! 🌿🥣