Spicy Lentil Soup

Ingredients
Directions
Douse the lentils with boiling water; add the salt and let stand covered about 1 hour. Chop the onion, celery, bell peppers, and carrots. Melt butter in saucepan. Add bouillon. Add the diced vegetables, brown sugar and bay leaf. Saute for a few minutes before adding to the lentils. Brown sausage and add to the lentils. Cook over very low flame for about 1 1/2 hours. Mix together the catsup and flour. Add a small amount of hot soup to this; mix well then return mixture to the soup pot. Season with ground pepper. Beat through and serve. Garnish with grated cheese.http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1848,156164-250197,00.html