One of my fondest memories of our Retreat was arriving home after we concluded on Friday night to find at least 25 women already there enjoying the apps my friends put out, the Food Truck (Two Chicks and a Truck), the sangria and the desserts! They were finding their commonalities, their differences, building friendships and collaborations. As the party grew, there were over 70 DeWs sitting, standing and lounging in every room in the house. The buzz was incredible. My heart was full!

At one point, I realized I forgot to put out the huge pot of lentil soup I made just for this night. It’s my mom’s recipe, and one our family cherishes. This was my little gift from my family to theirs. I ran out to the garage fridge and took out the still slightly frozen soup. Defrosting it enough to get the soup in the pot was hysterical! You may ask, “How many DeWs does it take to accomplish a task like this?” As many as needed! Yes, the mission was accomplished, and it would’ve made a YouTube sensation. I’ll giggle to the end of my
days remembering that kitchen scene (shout out to Jamie Marboe). Alas, we were laughing
so hard, nobody pulled out their phone to take a video. You just had to be there!

All this is to say, I really hope you don’t miss our second DeW Retreat in our hometown of
Charlotte, North Carolina! I promise we’ll have that soup defrosted to go along with our schedule of inspirational speakers and a welcoming community of DeWs like you!

Enjoy!
Anne

Ingredients

2 cups chopped onion
1 carrot coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon leaf marjoram
1/2 teaspoon leaf thyme
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb. can tomatoes
5 cups of water
3 teaspoons of beef bouillon (Better than Bouillon)
1 cup dried lentils
1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Sauté first 4 ingredients until lightly browned.
Add rest and bring to boil.
Cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about an hour.
Add sherry and parsley. Cheese on top in bowls.