Four Degree Soup

It is a sunny four degrees out including the wind chill factor. I've got two sourdough breads rising in the boiler room. I am wearing my long underwear, jeans, wool socks, and hat and scarf and three shirt + sweater layers under my woolen olive green denim Carthartt vest, indoors. I am just toasty! I am making lentil soup. I've added six quarts of water, fresh garlic, a chunk of ginger root, olive oil, carrots, red pepper flakes and a pound of rinsed lentils. I added the salt after the lentils were cooked thoroughly so the salt didn't prevent the lentils from being tender. I added a few cups of pumpkin mush I had leftover in my fridge and two cups of uncooked rinsed basmati rice. I added two chopped onions and cumin and a bottle of beer. The sun is out and Lily dog and I had a big walk in the snow. Now Lily's fur smells like fresh air! The soup has made the kitchen smell good. It is thick and delicious. It's a fabulous meal for a four degree day!