Apricot Lentil Soup 
(This is one of my mother-in-law’s all time classics)
 
Ingredients:

3  tbsp olive oil
1  onion
2  cloves garlic minced
1/3 cup chopped dry apricots
1˝  cups red lentils
5  cups chicken stock
3  plum tomatoes – peeled, seeded, chopped
˝  tsp ground cumin
˝  tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper 
2  tbsp lemon juice
 
Directions:
 
1.   Saute onion, garlic and apricots in olive oil.
2.   Add lentils and stock
3.   Bring to a boil-reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes
4.   Stir in tomatoes, seasoning, cumin, thyme, salt and pepper
5.   Simmer 10 minutes
6.   Stir in lemon juice
7.   Puree