Slow Cooker Lentil and Pasta Stew

This soup was so delicious. I served it with some Pillsbury french bread. Comes from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound smoked kielbasa or Polish sausage, chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup cubed peeled potatoes
• 3/4 cup sliced fresh carrots
• 1 celery rib, sliced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 5 cups beef broth
• 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
• 1 cup canned Hunt's® Diced Tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup uncooked ditalini or other small pasta(I used mini pinwheels)
• Shredded Romano cheese

Directions

• Brown kielbasa in oil and butter in a large skillet. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery and onion. Cook and stir for 3 minutes over medium heat. Transfer to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. Stir in the broth, lentils, tomatoes, bay leaf, pepper and salt.
• Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until lentils are tender. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Stir pasta into slow cooker. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle servings with cheese. Yield: 8 servings.