Rustic Sausage, Spinach and Lentil Soup

There are some recipes that feel like coming home, and this is one of them.

I can still picture a big pot of soup simmering away on the stove, filling the kitchen with the smell of garlic, Italian sausage, tomatoes, and herbs.

It was the kind of meal that didn't need anything fancy—just a warm bowl, some crusty bread, and family gathered around the table.

Growing up, meals like this were all about making something hearty from simple ingredients. A little sausage could flavor an entire pot, lentils made it filling, and whatever vegetables were waiting in the kitchen could find their way into the soup.

Then came the pasta and, of course, a generous sprinkle of grated cheese on top.

That's what I love about this Rustic Sausage, Spinach and Lentil Soup.

It reminds me of those old-fashioned, comforting meals where the kitchen smelled wonderful and everyone seemed to linger at the table a little longer.

The combination of savory Italian sausage, tender lentils, vegetables, tomatoes, spinach, and little bites of orzo makes every spoonful hearty and satisfying.

And that final shower of Pecorino Romano? That's the part that makes it taste like home.

This is the soup I make when I want something warm, filling, and familiar—a simple Italian-inspired meal that brings a little old-fashioned comfort to the table.

Maraschino Cherry Cake

This maraschino cherry cake, which is all made from scratch, is a delicious, moist dessert cake, and we often bake this in a heart-shaped pan on Valentine's Day for that special someone.

To skip through all the tasks and ads, hit PRINT on the recipe card at the end, and all will go away! Thanks for understanding and for your patience.

The recipe is from the 1940s that my mom made, and since then, I have made this in her memory since 1999, when she passed away.

The cake is a white light cake made with just egg whites, cake flour (which I have included a DIY recipe for cake flour below), eggs, cherry juice, and maraschino jarred cherries.

Mom's homemade from-scratch recipe for this moist Maraschino Cherry Cake recipe is not only easy to make, but it is absolutely as delicious as it looks.

Anyone you make this for will not only be impressed with this pretty cherry cake but also fall for the fantastic creamy cherry-topped icing!

Mom would also add pecans to her recipe below; however, our family has excluded them due to the many food allergies, so I leave them out.

We have two frosting recipes below, one is a vintage buttercream cherry frosting, and the other is a 7-minute style frosting. The cake will make two 9-inch cakes; we usually make two and freeze one for another time.

For the complete recipe, scroll all the way down to the bottom, where you will find a printable recipe card on this page and hit print.

Traditional Italian Sunday Sauce Recipe

Mom always had a pot of Sunday Sauce cooking on the stove and Italian bread is a must to dip it in to test for seasonings are perfect.

Along with fried meatballs in our Italian family and of course on holiday braciole (stuffed meat rolls)!

A tradition in our house was Grandma's Homemade Egg Noodles(all by hand) every Sunday.

That's where Sunday Sauce came from and the tradition in our American Italian family.

Here is our version handed down from generation to generation.

Mom would occasionally make little ears (or we also called the hats) pasta all handmade, then, of course, using all fresh tomatoes, would be in a huge saucepot enhanced by fresh herbs and spices, simmering on the stove.

Simply the best smell in all of cooking for me is on Sunday with a pot of good old-fashioned Italian sauce simmering.

This is an easy recipe passed down for many, many years andis  over 100 years old.

If you love Italian food, this is a Rome, Italy-style sauce that Grandma and Mom made that we love.

Sunday morning was always a joy with New York's finest tomato pie, fried meatballs, and this delicious Sunday sauce over our favorite cavatelli pasta!

Scroll down for the recipe and it's printable!.