Comfort Food...

The inspiration for this cookbook/recipe blog came from Beth Macy, journalist extraordinaire and darn good cook. Beth and Rich worked together for many years at The Roanoke Times. She gave Rich and me a cookbook a few years ago that she lovingly wrote and illustrated. She was kind enough to include one of my recipes in the book. I now want to share a recipe from her book, “Red Tongs & Tomato Pie ~ Comfort Food That Won’t Kill Ya.”

This is what Beth says about the following recipe:
My favorite-ever-Sunday-afternoon-in-winter food, from my favorite-ever collection of food essays: “More Home Cooking — A Winter Returns to the Kitchen by Laurie Colwin.”

Laurie Colwin’s Best-Ever Tomato Pie

The pie has a double biscuit-dough crust, made by blending 2 cups flour, 1 stick butter, 4 t. baking powder, and approximately ¾ cup milk, either by hand or in a food processor. Roll out half the dough on a floured surface and line a 9” pie plate with it. Then add tomatoes (use either 2 lbs. of fresh tomatoes, peeled and sliced, or 2 – 28 oz. cans plum tomatoes, drained well and sliced.) Scatter the tomatoes with chopped basil, chives, or scallions, depending on their availability and your mood. Grate 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese and sprinkle I cup of it on top of the tomatoes. Then over this, drizzle 1/3 cup mayonnaise that has been thinned with 2 T. lemon juice and top everything with the rest of the grated cheese. Roll out the remaining dough, fit it over the filling, and pinch the edges of the dough together to seal. Cut several steam vents in the top crust and bake the pie at 400° for about 25 minutes. The secret of this pie is to reheat it before serving, which among other things ensures that the cheese is soft and gooey.

Bonus Tomato Recipe: Laurie’s Roasted Tomatoes

Take 2 or 3 cans good quality tomatoes and drain
Spread out on a baking sheet
Drizzle with olive oil
Sprinkle with chopped garlic and salt
Bake at 325° for 20 minutes or so
Serve on crackers or bread with goat cheese, good Irish cheddar, or nothing at all.

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Nov. 6, 2011

Here is a yummy soup that my good friend Mary Ann Snyder gave me. It is from a Pillsbury Slow Cooker cookbook.

Fire Roasted Tomato Chicken Tortilla Soup

Prep time: 20 Min
Start to finish: 7 hours & 20 minutes
Servings: 7( 1 1/4 cups each)

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 carton(32 oz) Progresso Chicken Broth
2 cups Green Giant Niblets frozen whole kernal corn
1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen organic fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 oz) Progresso black beans, drained, rinsed
1 sweet red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
9 corn tortillas (6 inch), cut into 1/2 inch wide strips
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper(cayenne)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
lime wedges, if desired
chopped avocado, if desired

1. In 3-4 quart slow cooker, combine chicken, chicken broth, corn, tomatoes, black beans, bell pepper, onion, 6 of the tortillas, chili powder, cumin, salt, and red pepper. Cover; cook on low heat setting 5-7 hours or on high setting 3-4 hours or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut(165 F).

2. Remove chicken; shred with 2 forks. Return to slow cooker. Stir in cilantro.

3. Heat oil in 9-inch skillet. Cook strips from remaining 3 tortillas in oil over medium heat about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp and light golden brown. Top individual servings of soup with tortilla strips, lime wedges, and/or avocado.

For those counting calories... 1 serving = 350 calories; total fat = 11g.; total carbs = 41 g.; fiber = 9g.; protein = 22g. Weight Watchers Points Plus = 9 points per serving.

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Nov. 14, 2011

Here's a dish that has "comfort" written all over it from my friend, Robin Scott, in Roanoke, VA...

Slow-Cooked Mac'nCheese

1 pkg (16oz) elbow macaroni
1/2 cup butter (melted)
2 eggs, beaten
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1 cup milk
4 cups (16 pz) shredded cheddar cheese, divided (3 c/ 1c)
1/8 t paprika

Cook macaroni according to pkg directions. Drain. Place in 5 qt slow cooker. Add butter. In bowl, combine eggs, evaporated milk, soup, milk and 3 C cheese. Pour over macaroni and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 4 hrs.

Sprinkle with remaining 1 C cheese and cook 15 more mins. Sprinkle with paprika.

(Yield 10 servings)