A Need For Comfort

It's a crazy world out there between what's happening in the world and in the weather.It's time for comfort foods and foods that we can de-stress with , whether it's for a meal or a snack. It can be decadent or something relaxing.

Of course one of the best things to have is a cup of herbal tea.Not surprisingly it can help protect the body from stress as well as flood it with antioxidants to also reduce inflammation caused from stress. Chamomile and peppermint are the most recommended and every brand has a version, usually blended with green tea for more flavor. Other herbal blends are made from flowers such as lavender and rose. Lavender is the best for promoting a good night's sleep. Have a hot soothing cup in the evening. What foods can create the same calming effect? Turkey which contains tryptophan which makes you sleepy.It's also right up there with comfort foods ,especially when you have it with your favorite stuffing and homemade gravy. Pair it with green leafy vegetables that also help with calming. These are kale, collard greens, broccoli rabe and mustard greens. They're rich in folates which help the body manufacture neurotransmitters like seratonin and dopamine to regulate moods. Kale is good , both , cooked, crisped or raw. Try it like a spinach salad with bacon and sliced hard boiled eggs.Swiss chard is delicious with a mix of egg and vinegar,  all sauteed in butter.

Of course there are the old reliable comfort foods such as meat loaf and mashed potatoes.Think about making a loaf with ground turkey instead of beef for something different and for all that dopamine. You can still have it with gravy - but turkey gravy along with mashed potatoes. You could serve it with another comfort food Tater Tots. These are also great on their own , especially if you've crisped them up in the air fryer. These only take seventeen to eighteen minutes to cook up but the result is a crunchy on the outside , creamy on the inside bite that works well with different dips.Pizza is another one of those foods that can make us feel happy. Enjoy a meat lover's one from one of the best , Blaze. They also have variations that include  a cauliflower crust and topping with squash and even maple syrup. Of course homemade pizza is a great comfort food too. Everyone's childhood favorite is English muffin pizzas with sauce and cheese bubbling away on the muffin slices. You can also do the same with bagels too. Use the everything ones for a fuller flavor.Another home made comfort are chocolate chip cookies. You can stick with original recipe or toss in walnuts or almonds or sub in the chips with M&M's Have these with a glass of milk,  and a favorite book to get away from the world.

These are times to de-stress and stay inside. Have  a cup of lavender tea to warm up and relax or enjoy a turkey meat loaf They're perfect for an hour or two away from the cold and craziness around us.

Comfort Food For Now

With all hell breaking loose around us, it's the best time to cook and bake those dishes and treats near and dear to our stomachs and hearts. It is definitely time for a slice of meat loaf or a big chocolate chip cookie. Indulge in what you want.

Luckily most of our comfort foods can be home made. There's no need to go out to restaurants and fast food joints. It's easy to make your version of Quarter Pounders and Whoppers at home. You can use Beyond Burgers for a healthier spin. Load it up with slices of onions, pickles and an easy to make version of special sauce.This is a mishmosh of mayo, French dressing and ketchup spiked up with white vinegar and dill pickle relish, Your side? Air fried French fries.  Get a few Idaho or Russet potatoes for the crispiest and meatiest. For real comfort, think Tater tots wrapped in bacon. You can also air fry these to get rid of all that bacon grease. Of course most people turn to meat loaf and mashed potatoes for their comfort foodsThink about amping it up some with the addition of sliced portabella mushrooms and wrapping it in bacon for a truly flavorful bite. Add a rich mushroom gravy spiked with with cremini or baby bella mushrooms and a good  jigger of sherry. To add to this try cream cheese mashed potatoes. These are the same recipe as basic mashed potatoes but have the added creaminess and cheesiness of the cream cheese. There's also garlic powder for more flavor. Spoon tons of gravy over them or just plop scoops of butter on top.

Of course comfort foods also mean sweets too.  Giant chocolate chip cookies are the perfect bake and comfort food. They have the perfect combination of butter, chocolate and brown sugar. You can add walnuts along with pecans too. Another comfort bake are M&M cookies. These are great made with the dark chocolate M&Ms. Whip up a batch  and enjoy them with a good book and a cup of your favorite tea.Another great comfort cookie? Peanut butter. Again, it's a fabulous mix of peanut butter, butter and brown sugar. Dip baked ones in melted dark chocolate for the ultimate peanut butter cup taste. Of course nothing beats cupcakes,You can have fun with these too. Imagine devil's food ones piled high with a minty buttercream, then topped with chocolate sprinkles. Or bake butter cake ones frosted with mounds of fudge frosting. Cupcakes are great to bake and ice during a quarantine because they are labor intensive and can help you pass the time when cabin fever sets in. Ice cream , for some is another sweet comfort food. A scoop is nice but jazz it up with some hot fudge and whipped cream.Create a tin roof sundae with a layer of Spanish peanuts and a few maraschino cherries. You could also throw all of this in a waffle cone for some fun.

Yes, you should eat healthy during these stressful times but also treat yourself to some really good comfort food. Have a dinner of burger and fries. Bake those cupcakes and cookies. Indulge yourself. Think of it as a remedy for these anxiety filled days.

A Political Hot Dish

Food and politics bring like minded people together. Nothing is more like that than voter house parties that are  popping up all over Iowa.Hot dishes and candidates are becoming part of their diets these days.

Regular contributor Kim Severson wrote about this interesting tradition in yesterday's New York Times Food section.It works in one candidate's favor . Amy Klobuchar is well familiar with a variation of this, the Minnesota church gathering and a dish specific to the state - the hot dish. This is a mix of protein, starch and vegetables held together with a creamy sauce baked until it bubbles. It helped conserve meat a century ago during World War One and helped feed families during the Depression. Nowadays it's topped with Tater Tots and/or mixed with rice. Hot dishes offer working parents an inexpensive way to get an easily made  dinner on the table after a long work day. Ms. Klobuchar 's Taconite Tater Tot Hot Dish, named for a rock mined in the Iron Range, located in northeastern Minnesota. Hers is a mix of chicken and ground beef with onion, typical ingredients yet she zings it up with the addition of cheddar jack cheese. Some found it too spicy, others liked it.

It's not the first time hot dish made political news. Disgraced pol, Al Franken created a hot dish competition as a way of uniting the state's congressional delegation. Not surprisingly Senator Klobuchar won. In 2017 an unusual dish won, thanks to Representative  Democrat Colin Peterson. His dish , A Right To Bear Arms had bear (!) meat in it!!!!Representative Betty McCollom, also a Democrat created the Asian inspired Hot Dish A-Hmong Friends that had cabbage and ground beef topped with fried egg roll wrappers. She paid homage to the large Hmong population from China, Laos and Vietnam who made up her district. Controversial Ilhan Omar made a hot dish full of chickpeas , chutney and , of course, Tater Tots. It's called Moga-Hot-Dishu and was inspired by a Minnesota blogger's samosa chaatdish. For something closer to the Midwestern heart there was Republican Jim Haggedorn, Ms Klobuchar's close competition, who created Make'n Bacon Great Again. His hot fish had two pounds of bacon and a pound of sausage mixed with eggs and cheddar. Hot dish can be made fancy as "What's Eating America" host and Senator Klobuchar friend Andrew Zimmer can attest. He has created fancy versions with turkey legs and veloute. He does go back to a more humble recipes of green beans, turkey, beef and Tater Tots.

The Minnesota Hot Dish not only unites families but also Iowa voters too. This hearty dish can help soothe tensions and create long time allies. It's also a good dish to serve on a winter's night too.

Leftovers With Zip

One of the worst things a home chef dreads is boring leftovers. Usually these consist of some forgotten veggies, leftover carcasses and this and that of sides from recent dinners past. Luckily with a dash of spice or a pat of butter these can be transformed into yummy meals that will be eaten. It just takes some  creativity and the will to experiment.

One of the worst are those veggies that are still laying around the crispers. These can be that one leftover tomato or onion that was just one too many for a particular dish.These can be sliced up and made into a tasty salad, thanks to some added  homemade dressing.These lone veggies can also go into an omelet, revving up the common  egg dish into a frittata. You can even add a dash of Parmesan too for more flavor.  Leftover broccoli and beets can also be transformed into colorful salads,perfect sides for tailgating parties. Be grateful for those leftover roasts too.Ham cam be devilled thanks to a quick spin in a food processor or it can be used for part of a croque monsieur sandwich.  Turkey can be cut up for that classic tetrazzini or a yummy turkey and celery  salad. This last can also be done with chicken, using mayo and tarragon for a lushly  flavored salad. Serve on croissants for a really elegant lunch or supper.Those London Broil slices will be good on hot, buttery garlic bread or perfect in a biscuit topped meat pie.

Two of the most versatile foods that make perfect leftovers are bread and potatoes. Any kind of left over bread can be turned into a sweet or savory bread pudding.Stale  French and Italian breads make an excellent base for the famed dessert pudding. They create a chewy, textured treat that's makes for an decadent dessert, especially when served with salted caramel sauce.These baguettes also are great for being repurposed into French toast. Any bread makes for tasty homemade croutons and breadcrumbs. Potatoes can be turned into almost anything as well. Last night's mash can be transformed into today's crispy fried puff. They can be cut up and used for breakfast and brunch hash browns. In fact you can use your leftover peppers and onions in it as well. Plain baked potatoes can be turned into a mash zinged up with garlic. Sweet potatoes are part of the versatility category too. They are wonderful mashed and whipped or as pancakes. Many turn them into fries or a kind of Tater tot, to be served with a molasses syrup. Use both white and sweet in a hash redolent with bacon strips and pepper for a fun brunch side.

Leftovers don't have to be hohum. They can be transformed into exciting new dishes that are mouth watering. In fact they'll be so good , there won't be any leftovers!

A Tasty Tree Trimming Party

Tree trimming parties are always fun get togethers.It's a chance to not only spread some joy decorating your Douglas fir , it's also a time to set out some tasty party food. Since this is not a formal Christmas party, you can easily make comfort food that everyone can enjoy.Even some of the decorations can be a part of the party fare too!

One of the best tree trimming get together dishes is chili.It's easily made and easily eaten. You can  make all sorts of varieties  from vegan to beef.Also the heat can be varied from a pleasantly mild one that's more tomato sauce based to a fiery jalapeno one. Serve with either squares of fresh made or store bought cornbread or with rice or polenta. Individual meat loaves are another good choice. These can be made in muffin tins and served with Tater Tots, or mashed potatoes. Have plenty of gravy on hand  too. Many tree trimming parties have pizza as the main course. Try mini homemade ones with different toppings that your helpers can pick out for their own pies .

If this is too much, then go the nibble route.Even the popcorn that will be strung on the branches can be a part of the munching. Make a good amount for garlands and a good amount for everyone else too. Sprinkle on Parmesan or hot pepper flakes along with the usual butter and sea salt. For something more substantial think chicken wings or nuggets.If you feel ambitious then you can easily make baked  fried chicken for everyone . Have dipping sauces such as a tangy teriyaki to a creamy ranch to suit everyone's tastes.Of course, finish up with mugs of  hot cocoa or flavored coffee and some holiday cookies and treats. If you feel up to it bake them, if not any store or bakery has very pretty trays you can buy.,

Nothing beats a tree trimming party.It's a chance to have fun and catch up with friends and family. Make it even more so with tasty savory and sweet dishes. These will keep your helpers happy and as festive as a string of lights !

Making Our Favorite Treats

Don't panic if your favorite Hostess treat is discontinued .There is a great new cookbook that has the squiggle cupcakes and Twinkies along with other goodies you can make.Classic Snacks Made From Scratch has them as well as other goodies that only your supermarket sells.These are not only a foodie's fantasy but a baker and cook's Dream. Casey Barber is the author of this book from the famed UlyssesPress which is known for it's fun and quirky cookbooks.Ms.Barber loves her junk food but makes it healthy by creating it, herself. The book has everything from simple puddings. To the more elaborate take on Cheese Doodles. thereb is even the savory cracker Chick- N A Basket along with Pepperidge Farm goldfish.She have even written an entire chapter on ice cream treats!These are surprisingly easy, especially the creamsicles.There are also Good Humor almond and eclair bars to try as well. The recipes can be a bit labor intensive yet the process can go fast if you have help. The best part of Ms. Barber's recipes is that they have no artificial anything.There are favorites such as the Hostess cupcakes, all made with natural goodness as are Twinkies. she also has animal classics which are perfect to bake if you have children. the snacks are much better for you than the commercial kind such as the flavored barbecue and sour cream and onion chips. some recipes such as the ones for homemade TAter Tots and pizza rolls are perfect for a Saturday night dinner. If you are a true commercial food lover then Casey Barber's book is for you . you can go wild making your favorite treats . best of all they're home made without all those artificial additives.