LENTIL SOUP with SMOKED BREAKFAST SAUSAGE

This recipe comes from a former Food Critic for the San Francisco Examiner, but since I found it about 20 years ago I cannot remember her name. Obviously I love it since I've been making it since then! I didn't include a picture because it doesn't photograph that well...which is no indication of how wonderfully comforting and delicious it is.

16 oz Lentils, rinsed and sorted
7 Cups Chicken broth or Vegetable broth
2 Teaspoons Salt (I use one)
1 Medium Onion, quartered
2 Carrots, sliced
1 Tablespoon Parsley
1 Teaspoon dried Thyme (I use two)
2 Bay Leaves
1/2# Mushrooms, sliced
4 Tablespoons Butter, or substitute
1/2# Smoked Sausage, sliced into small pieces (I use less)
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
1/4 Cup Dry Sherry

In a stockpot add lentils, stock, herbs, onion and carrots.  Bring to a boil and skim.
Simmer 1to 1-1/2 hours covered; adding only a little more stock or water if necessary.
Remove the bay leaf. Puree half the soup in a blender and add it back to the pot. While the lentils are cooking, saute the mushrooms in butter and add to the pot along with the smoked sausage, brown sugar and Sherry and simmer 15 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.