COLD WEATHER COMFORT (FOOD)

When the weather starts getting chilly and grey, I really want to just curl up and hibernate until spring.  Cloudy skies, cold drizzle (or, worse yet, SNOW) and short daylight are not conducive to a cheery mood and abundance of energy… at least not for me!  But I do realize that hibernation is not a realistic option for a person who has a job, bills to pay, and enjoys eating on a very routine basis.  So, I indulge one of my other cravings that cold weather causes – cooking.  Specifically, comfort food.

Everyone has their own definition of what “comfort food” is, I think.  Mine is usually something that’s served hot, has plenty of carbs, fills you up, and maybe even makes you a little sleepy.   I don’t think, however, that is has to be unhealthy (though a massive serving of mac ‘n cheese can sometimes really improve a day).  One of my favorite meals during the winter is a big bowl of chili or soup, and a hunk of homemade bread with roasted garlic spread on it.  If I’m feeling extra virtuous, I’ll throw in a nice salad, too.

So I thought I’d share some recipes for my kind of comfort food.  Here’s the bonus: the main dish can be made in a slow cooker.

First, the roasted garlic.  You may not believe me, but it is super-easy, and very mild and creamy when it’s done.

Preheat the oven to 400°.  Take a couple heads of garlic, and cut off the tip so that the top of the cloves inside are all exposed – about ¼ to ½ an inch.  Then put each head of garlic in the middle of a small sheet of foil – one sheet per head.  Drizzle it with about a tablespoon of olive oil, and rub to coat.  Bundle the garlic up in the foil, place it in the oven, and leave it for 45 min. to an hour (it doesn’t need to be exact).  When it’s done, you can just use a butter knife or squeeze the garlic from its skin with your fingers.  It is really fantastic on pretty much any non-sweet bread.  Or crackers.  Or biscuits.  Or stale croutons.

image from ecurry.com

For the main dish, I highly recommend this chili.  It came from allrecipes.com, submitted by Danelle.  In my own version, I omit the celery, and will mix up the variety of beans I use based on what’s in the pantry.

SLOW COOKER CHILI II

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef3/4 cup diced onion3/4 cup diced celery3/4 cup diced green bell pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 (10.75 ounce) cans tomato puree 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans with liquid 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans with liquid	1/2 tablespoon chili powder1/2 teaspoon dried parsley1 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon dried basil 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Directions:

1.	Place the beef in a skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown. Drain grease.
2.	Place the beef in a slow cooker, and mix in onion, celery, green bell pepper, garlic, tomato puree, kidney beans, and cannellini beans. Season with chili powder, parsley, salt, basil, oregano, black pepper, and hot pepper sauce.
3.	Cover, and cook 8 hours on low.

image from mcCormick.com

And for the bread… well, if you are lucky enough to own a breadmaker, drag that thing out, dust it off, and get something going (but remember you need a good 3 hours to get it done)!  If you lack a breadmaker – or bread flour and yeast – make a quick bread instead.  This blog has a terrific basic recipe that you can change up based on what you’ve got in the house and what kind of bread you’re looking for – sweet, savory or otherwise.  (Bonus tip: if you don’t happen to have buttermilk in the house, don’t worry!  You can fake it by using regular milk + lemon juice.  Put 1 TBS of lemon juice in a measuring cup; top off with milk until you’ve got 1 cup.  Let sit a couple minutes, and boom! There’s your buttermilk.)

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-buttermilk-quick-bread-with-10-different-variations-164621

image from www.thekitchn.com

So what’s YOUR favorite food for cold, gloomy days?  Please dish!

Our contest winner of the awesome flag shirt is Christine! Email carrie@miuscollection.com to claim your prize.
BUT….we are not done! Kelly and Joyce…you will receive 10% off your next order! Email millie@miuscollection.com for your offer code.
Stay tuned for more contests!

Remember when Gabby looked like this?

OK, you might not want to admit that you watched Desperate Housewives.  For me…I totally admit that I watched it in the beginning.  Hell, I even dvr’d (that might be my own word) it. Then they did that stupid fast forward five years and the show started to get corny. Well…maybe the show was never very realistic but it got to the point in the series where you didn’t admit to watching it anymore.  Or if you got drawn into an episode, you quickly changed the channel when your husband (or significant other) walked in the room so you didn’t have to suffer the embarrassment of being caught watching something so stupid.  Or maybe that was just me?

The show did have some realistic parts.  Call me a desperate housewife if you will…but my friend/neighbor, Tina, and I have had coffee together in the mornings.  We have even stood outside with our coffee and “chatted” about other neighbors.  And while I didn’t look quite like Terry Hatcher when her towel fell off outside, I have walked my garbage to the curb in my pajamas (they are pretty sexy…an old work tshirt and owl PJ pants).  Anyway, as moms…weather you work in or out of the home…we have all been caught looking like Gabby after she had kids.

I mean to me…add a bobby pin and a necklace and she is damn near dressed up!  At least that’s a phase I went thru at times with three kids all under 3.5 years.  But lately I have wanted to look more put together.  More like I made an effort…at least most days.  So I want to do a series of fun, comfortable, affordable, Made in the USA  (of course) outfits that we can throw on as quickly as Gabby’s outfit above but still look like we made an effort.  Or in my case like I have all my “stuff” (are you allowed to say bad words on a blog?) together.

Here is where you come in…we need a title for this series.  Ready to enter a contest?  Two things must be accomplished to enter.  Go to our collection and pick your favorite item under $50.  Come back to the blog and leave a comment.  In the comment tell us what you think the title of this series should be, and what your favorite MiUS item is.  We will pick a winner and you will receive a $10 gift card for your MiUS purchase AND free shipping!

Incidentally when searching for pics on line I found this picture of “frumpy mom Gabby”

Is it wrong to me if she added a necklace and a ring I think she would look fine? Hmmm I might need fashion police!
OK…enter our contest so we can get this show rolling 🙂