Jacob's Irresistible Lentil Soup

Jacob's older brother Esau loved lentil soup. One day when Esau came home from hunting he was very, very hungry. He almost fainted when he smelled his brother Jacob's soup cooking. "For a bowl of soup I'll sell you my birthright," he cried. "Done!" said Jacob. He ladled out the soup and won Esau's birthright -- the right of the older brother to inherit all of their father Isaac's property and power.

This recipe calls for the use of a stove and knives. Before beginning to cook, get either help or the "go-ahead" from a responsible adult.

To make lentil soup for five or six hungry hunters you will need:

• ¾ cup of dried lentils
• 5 cups of water
• 1 large onion, peeled
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 carrots
• 1 stalk of celery
• ½ cup uncooked elbow macaroni
• pepper, basil, or other seasoning to taste
• soup pot, 3 quart size
• measuring cup
• cutting board
• knife
• slotted spoon

Directions:

1. Rinse the lentils. Let them soak in the water in the pot overnight.
2. Slice the peeled onion halfway through as shown. Add it to the soaked lentils.
3. Bring the water, lentils, and onion to a boil and cook at low flame for about an hour or until the lentils are soft.
4. Dice the carrots and celery as shown, add the vegetables, seasoning, and macaroni to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then cook at low flame for about 20 minutes or until the vegetables and macaroni are soft. Add water while cooking if the soup is too thick.
5. Take out the onion with the slotted spoon.