January 9, 2012

comfort on a gloomy day

The past few days we have had some unseasonably warm weather. I've gone out over the property with my camera and Bill has been able to catch up on a lot of long needed leaf burning. We have huge old trees lining our drive and it takes forever to clean up our property. For us being able to throw open windows in January here in Virginia is really unheard of but we get what we get so we might as well make the best of it, right?


Alas today the colder weather is back. Although the thermometer isn't way down there with the humidity up the chill goes right through you. After lunch Bill gathered up some fire wood from the shed and put on our wood-stove. We have one of those lovely cast iron cook stoves from Ireland that's capable of heating the entire house and makes the most awesome pizza's amongst other things.


Then came the most important decision! What to make for dinner. I don't know about you but when it is cold and gloomy I need to eat some comfort food. While Bill napped I went through the usual suspects whether it be soup or stew- pot roast or pasta or mac & cheese generally something home made that will fill the house with wonderful aromas and be satisfying too.

From the comfort of the couch are we getting the theme here? I made my decision, and decided on Chili and rice. The house already smells wonderful as the pot simmers on the regular stove, can you smell it? Sorry there's no such thing as smell- a - blog!

You do crave comfort food on a rainy gloomy day, don't you?
For me its like a hug on a plate or a bowl.
Do you have a favorite?





15 comments:

  1. Hi Jen! Good to meet you and thanks for dropping by today.
    That is one good-looking stove you have there! Around here during the winter we NEED soups and stews to get us through it. My fav is beef and barley soup. Now I am hungry......

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  2. It's cold and rainy in NC, too!

    And, I'm out of town for work. :-(

    I want to be home with my babies eating homemade soup.

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  3. Oh chili...love me some chili. I have a recipe for slow cooker mexican chili with enchilada sauce...it's soooooo gooooood. But because of my gallbladder I have been stuck eating soup....which is good but I eat it everyday...bleh.

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  4. It's funny that you mentioned "hug". Because I always say that, when I eat "comfort food" it's like my belly is being hugged. How bout that!
    m.

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  5. Kimberly,
    This chili would have had your Gallbladder doing the chacha, not good!

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  6. That is a great stove. Chili with enchilada sause, sounds good.

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  7. Yes, I feel the same way. If it's miserable outside, I need to feel extra special good on the inside. (Although sometimes I cheat and go to Cracker Barrel.)

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  8. Oh how I love comfort food! I wish I could live on it.

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  9. First of all, the lady in red at the top in the header pictures, she is so pretty !!

    Back to comfort food,mine would be anything thats hot and spicy. The way my life trends, im on it like medication :D I've heard virginia is beautiful. plan to visit someday...

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  10. Hot and spicy is something I love too.

    It's a very historic area here where I live. My brother just visited from Hawaii and went for a beer run and visited a battlefield all in the same trip, very convenient!

    That's Gretchen, our daughter, today would have been her 36th birthday. She was both beautiful both inside and out. Thanks

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  11. I grew up in a home with one of those stoves and it really did toast up the house nicely. I remember not wanting to get too close to it, though because it once actually singed my skirt!

    I love comfort food. For me it is Mrs. Grass chicken noodle soup. My partner despairs that I prefer it to her homemade soup, but it takes me back to my childhood and I think that is what comfort food is all about, yes?

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  12. Sounds delish Jen! Chili on a cold day, there's nothing like it!

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  13. Jackie- That chili really did hit the spot!Now if I can only learn not to make enough to feed an army I'll be ok!

    Maria- Funny that you should bring up the topic of chicken soup. I actually have a pot of my own on the stove as we speak.(terrible rainy day here) And you're right we do tend like those things that we associate with our childhoods and who doesn't like chicken soup?

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  14. Holy moly - first of all, your stove is amazing. I love it. If I had a stove like this, I would learn how to cook - even if I failed, maybe it would still make my house smell lovely. ;-) Thanks for your feedback on the new design. Hope that you are off to a great weekend!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Sharon, One Christmas without power we actually cooked our turkey in it! It's a good thing to have.

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