Bianca's Lentil Soup

"Here is our maternal grandmother's lentil soup recipe that many of you asked for after we posted about her tradition of making it on New Year's Day. If you did not partake in the eating of lentils for buono fortuna (good luck) in the new year, whip yourself up a batch...there's still time. The grace period is two weeks (we just made that up) so you're still in the clear. But don't wait too long; you don't want to push your luck of the lentil!" —Lisa and Diana

You'll need:
1 bag (16 oz.) lentils. This makes a big pot, so if you are cooking just for yourself, cut the recipe by at least half.
1 dozen baby carrots or fresh carrots if you prefer, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
3/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Orzo (Italian for "barley") Orzo pasta is also known as risoni (big rice). 


In a large pot cover lentils with water and bring to a boil for 5-10 minutes. Then, as our grandmother says, "throw out that first water," which means drain the lentils and then add fresh water (about 2 quarts). Add the carrots, garlic, and olive oil. Bring to a slow boil and then let simmer. 


In a separate pot cook the orzo. Add to the soup when done. The amount to add depends on how thick you like your soup; the more orzo, the thicker the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste, top with parmesan cheese and enjoy...then go buy a lottery ticket!