Sausage and Lentil Soup

This soup is perfect for this cold weather. Nice and hearty...and... it cooks in a slow cooker.

Sausage and Lentil Soup
1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
3/4 pound dried lentils, rinsed and drained (1 3/4 cups)
1 cup diced ham
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped ( 3/4 cup) I omitted this
1 medium carrot, diced (3/4 cup)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
2 (14-ounce) cans beef broth
2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach

- Combine all ingredients except spinach in a 5-quart slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW 6 hours or until lentils are tender.
- Add spinach; cover and let stand 5 minutes or until spinach wilts. Remove and discard bay leaf.

Makes 12 cups.