Comfort Food

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 6:33pm

It's not necessarily your favorite food or something you are proud of eating, but what do you find yourself wanting to eat when you're stressed out? For most people, it ends up being something from their childhood.

I'm on my third bowl of Cream of Rice (with butter, brown sugar and half & half) in two days...just like mom used to make. Not particularly healthy fare, but damn it makes me feel good for a little while. Another contender would be Campbell's Cream of Tomato soup with a pat of butter (butter was VERY big in 1950's Ohio) and homemade croutons.

[DofB5]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 6:36pm

I'm afraid mine depends on the time of year, what I'm feeling at the time and the degree of comfort I need.

D Updated On: 1/25/04 at 06:36 PM

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 6:42pm

I have a few comfort foods:
Stouffer's Macaroni and Cheese
Chicken cutlet with rice
Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy
Creamed chicken over white toast

[BroadwayDiva]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 6:45pm

I have comfort snacks: Rice Krispies and CHEWY granola bars.

For comfort food: chicken alfredo

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 6:50pm

ANYTHING from Denny's. My grandma died very recently, she was my best friend. We used to go to Denny's nearly everytime I was with her and we would stay there for hours playing trivia and talking and laughing and eating. Now, it may not be the same, but whenever I go to Denny's I know she's there, and that's what's most comforting to me.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 6:52pm

KFC Meal
Quarter Pounder With Fries
Nathan's Hot Dog With Fries
Glass of Milk & Chips Ahoy
Soda & Ritz/Cheese Whiz Sandwich Crackers
Glass of Milk & Devil Dogs or Hostess Cupcakes


Past Comfort Foods No Longer Available

Horn & Hardart Macaroni & Cheese - The best ever
Horn & Hardart Creamed Spinach - Ditto
To those of you who never had the pleasure of the above two items, all I can say is I remember the taste to this day & would give anything to have it again. It is reported that a restaurant called "Shellys" on 57 th St & Manhattan ( between 6 & 7 Ave ) have H & H Mac & Cheese using their recipe. I will try it out & report back.


In The Movies

Coke & Butter Popcorn

That about covers all contingencies

Updated On: 1/25/04 at 06:52 PM

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 6:53pm

homemade french fries

chocolate chip cookie dough

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 6:58pm

My favorite comfort food in this type of weather: My cheap, American version of pasta d'Amatriciana, easy and fast:

2 cloves of garlic, minced, a small onion, all sauted in olive oil. Add 6-8 slices (or more) of thick-sliced bacon, cut in chunks, until just cooked--not crisp. Then diced canned tomatoes, juice and all, fresh snipped basil (dried will do if you haved no fresh), and as much hot red pepper (flakes) as you can stand. You can add more at the end, but the red pepper makes it. Cook it down till it thickens, dump it on your favorite al dente pasta, and smother each bowl with fresh grated parm. cheese, thick. Stick individual plates/bowls in the oven or microwave until the parm is melted. The combo of melted cheese, noodle, bacon, and onion/garlic, with the "heat" of red pepper, all swimming in basil-tomatoes is so satisfying. The American bacon transforms itself, once blended with onion/garlic, and approximates pancetta. I've had it in many places in Rome, where it comes from, and this version gives yo the sense of it. Plus, you can do it 30 minutes.

Updated On: 1/25/04 at 06:58 PM

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 7:03pm

Is it okay if I print that recipe out Auggie?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 7:09pm

Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup!

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 7:13pm

I can't believe I'm asking this, but what size can of diced tomatoes, Auggie?
Sounds like pasta d'A might be whats for dinner tomorrow.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 7:16pm

Here's one of mine which I haven't had in many a year.

Guava jelly and cream cheese on a Ritz cracker.

Bulldog

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 7:25pm

Yup, I used to have Tomato Soup with butter & white bread to dip into the soup & Campbells Chicken Noodle Soup. When we were kids, we were not aware ( nor would we have cared ) about the load of sodium in Campbells Soups or TV Dinners or tons of things for that matter. If we can send a man to the moon, why can we have great tasting food like all of the above that is good for you or at least is not bad for you ?

Updated On: 1/25/04 at 07:25 PM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 7:28pm

Follow-up: What's great about d'amatriciana: You don't have to worry about the amounts of ANYTHING. I use two-3 cans of Muir Glen organic diced. But any old canned tomatoes will do, just not the kind with other adds.

What I love: you almost always have most of this stuff in the house. It actually works for guests, too. People think it tastes special -- because most italiano food has beef/oregano in it. The bacon/onion/basil combo, with the peppper, takes it away from the usual Carmines Siciliana taste. This is a Romana first course pasta, but here, a great, cheese-ladden main dish!

The ratios are so not important. It can be chunky with more tomatoes, and less juice, or "runny" with lots of juice. Still tastes great. Honest. Use as much bacon as you want, and double the onions, reduce the garlic if you prefer. I've done it with more onion, no garlic, and it's just as good. You can't go wrong. And you can make it, like two hours earlier, or a day before, and just heat it up and dump it on the pasta. When made a day before, it's damned good. The whole combo blends even better.

Somebody here -- Ifitfloat, mynameinlights -- make it and tell me how it goes. Add bread and salad, and you'll love it. I swear by little in life, but this dish is a pleaser.

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 7:30pm

Next time I go grocery shopping I will definitely make this. Thanks again!

[BwayTheatre11]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 7:36pm

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough AND Reeses Pieces.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 7:48pm

OK. Here's an easy comfort recipe for another night!

Sweet Italian sausage, 6 links or so, squeezed from their casings
1 pt heavy cream
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1/2 lb of sea shell pasta, the smaller ones
Parsley chopped.

Bring salted water to the boil, and add the pasta
While the pasta is cooking, heat some butter in a large saute' pan. Saute' the onion until translucent. Add the sausauge meat squeezed from its casing. With a fork mash the meat to break it into small pieces. Let the onions and sausage cook together until they start to brown. Add the heavy cream and cook down some until it thickens

When the pasta is done, about 12 minutes cooking time, drain the cooked shells shaking most of the water out. Pour just a tablespoon or so of the pasta water into the cream sauce to loosen it a bit.

Mix the cooked pasta with the sausage cream sauce and serve, sprinkled with chopped parsley. Sprinkle a little grated Parmigiano. The sauce and bits of meat get trapped in the shells. MMMMMMM Good!

Takes less than 30 minutes and you'll be licking the bowl.

Bulldog

Yes, Ladies & Gents, I cook and bake too. Updated On: 1/25/04 at 07:48 PM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 7:51pm

Bulldog, I'm there. Tomorrow night. Thank YOU. Comfort is about carbos and fat. There's simply no getting around it.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 8:22pm

broadwayguy2 should post his homemade French Fries recipe.

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 8:29pm

Well, what the hell... Here's the favored sauce in my household. It's known as JK's Pasta at a local restaurant...this is as close as I've been able to come to re-creating it at home. It is simmering in my kitchen at this very moment.

olive oil
1 tsp or more chopped garlic
sliced leek, 2 or 3
1 lb fresh tuna
1 lb fresh salmon
large can peeled tomatoes
white cooking wine, 1/2 bottle or more
sliced scallions
oregano, basil, and parsley
hot pepper sauce, a couple of shakes
Spike seasoning
ground pepper

Saute garlic and leeks in olive oil. Add fish, removing the skin from the salmon after it has cooked. Whir the tomatoes in a food processor and add to the frying pan along with the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for a while. Best the next day. Serve over the pasta of your choice with grated parmesan.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 9:06pm

Mr. Roxy, you mention about comfort food when you were a kid...how could they have any form of "comfort food" when your best friend was a kid named Moses who had been found floating amid the bullrushes?

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 9:25pm

DOLLY I LOVE YOU!

[JoizeyActor]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 9:33pm

A #8 with a Coke and Ranch Dipping Sauce from Wendy's.

Someone please help me, I'm addicted to Wendy's fast food! Those damn 'Homestyle Chicken Strips'. HELP!

It's so bad and gross, but I can't stop consuming them. Lol. I really need to stop.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 9:41pm

Moses & I never hung out together

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 1/25/04 at 9:56pm

The ultimate comfort food for me will always be pizza.
Good pizza that is.