Ode to Lentil Soup

Holiday travels are a fraught experience are they not? Despite having had a perfectly lovely holiday season last year by going nowhere and installing a stone tile floor in my den; I failed to learn the lesson and early this season committed myself to a circuitous loop of destinations and detours second only to that of the famous fat guy with flying reindeer. I returned wiser but exhausted, sore, and sick, with important errands omitted and a newly broken laptop screen.

When you do fall ill is there any place you crave more than your own home? Your own bed? Getting sick afield only salts the wound of preferring not travelling in the first place. And, summoning the will to cook against a lack of rest and the trailing remnant of a vise-like head cold is an uphill slog. But Kate got the gears moving and I plugged away doggedly. I made a nice dice of vegetables for the lentil soup, and baked the beans themselves in the oven. When these two parts, married by a pound and a half of good Murphy Farms butter, came together, I had the first inclination that yes, I was finally back home, and yes, I was finally going to feel like myself again soon. It was comfort food in full effect: a gustatory hug.

I hope you find yourself happy and healthy and comfortably back home after this holiday season, and that this lentil soup can help ease the impact of having done too much and negative degree mornings. Put your feet into some fat, fuzzy socks, eat from a heavy earthen bowl or even a mug. Butter and dip that light, savory garlic-potato bread, and I’ll even give you permission to eat in front of the TV (a movie though!). Get comfortable.