I make lentil soup much like I make bean soup...but I will boil the ham hock with the water and some chopped onion for about an hour before I add lentils, because the lentils cook more quickly than navy beans do....Oh and I add about 4 cloves of crushed or grated garlic.
Lentils make a lovely salad....just add some chopped onion, chopped parsley, perhaps some chopped tomato and dress with a balsamic vinaigrette.

I once did a month of lentil recipes (anything BUT soup and casserole) and I normally sprout them. When I cook them:

-Serve them as a side dish with chopped fresh vegetables and a simple dressing or vinaigrette.

-Add to chili instead of beans.

-Make lentil tacos.

-Make lentil "burgers".

-Add to scrambled eggs or omelet.

-Blend into a spread (with cooked garbanzo or chana dal, or cannellini beans.

-Grainlady

With the lentils already being cooked, I'd make a salad...lots of recipes on line depending on which way you want to go...more mideast...more mediterranean...

It would be perfect if you have some beans, too, in my bean and lentil loaf (recipe is about a quarter of the way up from the bottom). :) There's also a better organized version of the recipe in a Word document: http://www.jcskitchen.net/images/Recipes/Bean%20and%20Lentil%20loaf%20in%20Stages%20Gluten%20Free%20Vegan.doc

I like the suggestions especially the lentil pate and the salad. I know DH probably won't eat either one, but I'll have lots of lentils to eat...LOL

I am trying Dr Phil's 20/20 diet and lentils is one of the foods allowed the first 5 days, so I bought some and here I am with lots of lentils...I bought them at my local farmer's market and they only came in 2 lb bags. That was my first mistake...LOL As far as beans, I am not a fan of them, just canned baked beans. I know they're so good for you but I just never acquired a taste for them.

You don't say what color of lentils, red or brown or green? For lentil rice soup, I like red lentils. I have added green or brown lentils to spaghetti sauce and they are good. There is an Indian dish that is lentils, rice and caramelized onions that is pretty good (and easy, too). Last week I made this lentil-eggplant mole and my only complaint is it was not as spicy as I would have liked (but could be, and was doctored at the table).

If you still have uncooked lentils you need to use.... A forgotten recipe I made all the time a number of times years ago. I usually made 1/2 a recipe for 2 people - with leftovers. -Grainlady

WARM LENTIL & CHICORY VINAIGRETTE

1-1/2 c. green lentils, sorted and rinsed

1 carrot, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 bay leaf

1 T. red wine vinegar

1/2 t. ground black pepper

2 T. olive oil

1/2 c. diced onion

2 oz. lean smoked ham, cut into 1"x1/4" slivers

1 pound chicory, thinly sliced (or other greens)

1/4 c. chicken stock

In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the lentils, carrots, celery and bay leaf. Add cold water to cover by about 2". Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20-minutes, or until the lentils are just tender. Drain; discard the bay leaf. Return the mixture to the pan.

In a cup, mix the vinegar, pepper and 1 T. oil. Drizzle over the lentils and toss lightly to mix. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large no-stick skillet over medium heat, warm the remaining 1 T. oil. Add the onions and ham. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Add the chicory and stock. Cover and cook for 5-minutes, or until the chicory is wilted. Add the lentils and toss lightly to mix.

(Note: If you can't find green lentils, substitute the brown ones and cook them for less time.)

Cook some with onion, garlic, celery, carrot, stock and add browned sausages and leave to cook. Or add salt pork.

For soup, I only use red lentils.

What about falafel?

You wouldn't have to use them right away - I make a bag at a time, freeze on a cookie sheet, then put in a freezer container so I can take out a half cup at a time to add some vegetarian protein to lunch salads. I do the same with chick peas.

Brown lentils have a very "earthy" taste so you need something acidic or spicy to balance it out. They are good with mild keilbasa type sausage, spinach or kale or cabbage, and also tomatoes. A secret for good lentil soup is to add some V8 juice to it. I also sometimes add just a tiny bit of red wine vinegar to lentil soup, or apple cider vinegar. Not too much though. I also make baked lentil spaghetti, with some red wine for tartness, and sweet and sour lentils with cabbage and pineapple, served over rice. Lentil rice pilaf is also good, just throw in some spinach for color and zing, maybe some lemon, garlic and oregano, plus the onions. Mushrooms are also good with lentils.

Here is a Middle Eastern inspired Lentil & Chickpea Salad (in a second). [I also make curried lentil soup with sweet potatoes and chicken (chix is optional).]

For the Lentil Salad

~ 2 - 3 Cups of al dente - like cooked lentils (grocery store variety, just cook them lightly -- perhaps bring to a boil, then simmer covered for ~ 12 minutes. (I might have soaked my regular lentils for about 40 minutes prior to using. Dump out soaking water & rinse before lightly cooking lentils.)

- small can of chickpeas, RINSED well in a bowl of water, drain. Then soak for a minute in boiling water hot; drain; then rinse w cold water again. Drain. (This helps take than can taste away. Even better if you cook your own chickpeas from scratch. A pressure cooler (see Lars') makes this go quickly.)

- 1 firm tomato, finely diced

- 1 green bell pepper, finely diced

- canola oil (? I didn't measure ; maybe 1/3 C?) or EVOO

- Freshly squeezed lemon juice (~ 1.5 lemons; microwave 20 minutes first to get more juice)

- 1 lg garlic clove, v finely minced

- 1/4 to 1/2 Cup fresh spearmint, finely chopped

- 1 large scallion, finely minced

- ground cumin (?1.5 tsp) or to taste

- ground coriander seed (1 tsp or to taste)

- fine sea salt (1.5 to 2 tsp)

- freshly ground black pepper

- dash of powdered sumac (optional -- it give a bit of a nice sour taste that reminds me of tamarind in Asian cuisine)

- you can also add finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

- you can add (optional) a bit of very finely ground red pepper or cayenne)

Toss all ingredients together and taste as you proceed. Eat at room temp or cold. Eat plain or on salad greens such as romaine. Include some fresh or toasted flatbread (pita).