Tuesday, February 15, 2011

COMFORT FOOD

I think we have all different ideas and images when one asks "what is your comfort food".  People will seek to eat comfort food for different reasons.  Some is based on nostalgia, feeling under the weather, feeling 'blue', feeling cold inside, missing family or feeling stressed.

I did an informal survey of friends and what they call their comfort food.  I got a variety of responses and to my surprise a similar food group - soup.   When I asked friends about their comfort food, some provided a description on how to make it or key ingredients.

Here are the results of my short survey on comfort food:

  1. Homemade scalloped potatoes, ham and a side salad.
  2. Chicken pot pie.
  3. Soup, and in particular clam chowder.
  4. Earl's fries (restaurant).
  5. My mom's homemade buns with butter and jam.
  6. Mashed potatoes and gravy.
  7. My mom's homemade chicken noodle soup, made from scratch including using a real chicken to make the stock, and my grandmother's homemade noodles.  Simply paradise.
  8. Mashed potatoes, Swedish meatballs and vegetables.
  9. Sardines (from the can) warmed.
  10. Chili - black beans, corn, lean meat, cilantro
  11. Root soup - bake in the oven to caramelize carrots, regular and sweet potatoes, onion and parsnips.  Then put them a stockpot, add stock cayenne pepper, hint of cinnamon and cook.  Use an immersion blender when cooked to puree the soup. 
  12. Lentil soup - brown or red lentils, carrots, onions, garlic, curry powder, salt and pepper, shredded apple, stock and a can of cream of chicken soup.
  13. Homemade macaroni and cheese.
  14. Chili - cubed sirloin, lots of chili powder, kidney beans, corn, onions, garlic, mushrooms (variety of mushrooms), a can or two of beer and tomato paste.
  15. Homemade apple pie.
  16. Grilled cheese sandwich.
  17. Ice cream.
  18. Potato chips.
  19. Lastly, my comfort food is bowtie noodles and cottage cheese.  After you cook the noodles (serving for one), you drain them, put them back int the pot and add about half a cup of cottage cheese, a little bit of milk and ground pepper.  Cook until the cheese starts to soften and melt.
What is your comfort food?

Louise

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