Next friday marks the beginning of a “tinsel marathon” that lasts 27 days. It’s the day the Christmas crazy train careens out of the station and runs right off the rails. It’s the day the music starts, the elf starts hiding and the first Christmas card might arrive.  In a rush to get ahead, we sometimes forget to enjoy the real start to the holiday season — Thanksgiving.

This week feels like the calm before the storm –just a little too early to cart enough food and drink into the house to satisfy the masses. A little too early to set tables and wash china. And a little too early to clean the house.– So we make lists, more lists, and … knit? That’s what I’ve been doing!  I liken it to Nero fiddling while Rome burned.  Seriously, I did order my turkeys. I also made this amazing twist on lentil soup — pure comfort food — and it’s healthy too!

Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

1/2 bag lentils; 3 carrots, cleaned and cut into circles; 4 cups butternut squash, cut into small cubes; 1 zucchini, diced; 1 small onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, diced; approximately 1/4 cup good olive oil; 1/3 cup quinoa; a cheese rind (Whole Foods sells just the rinds.); approximately 58 ounces low-fat, low- sodium chicken broth (I always keep an extra 14 ounce can available in case the soup gets too thick.); 1 seven ounce Boars Head boneless ham steak, cut into small cubes; kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy sauce pot like a LeCreuset, add the carrots and onions and sauté until the onions start to soften. Add the ham and garlic and cook a few minutes longer.  Add the broth, zucchini, butternut squash, lentils, quinoa, cheese rind, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer covered until the lentils are tender and the quinoa looks like little coils. With a potato masher, mash half the butternut squash right in the pot.  Taste to see if you need more salt or pepper and remove the cheese rind.  At this time you can decide if you think it needs more broth.  Some people like it thick and some like it soupy.

There’s still time to make this before Thanksgiving — you too can “fiddle while Rome burns”.  Enjoy!