Comfort Foods and Indulgences

peanutbutterpopcorn001I am a popcorn monster. During the cold winter months in northern Minnesota when it gets dark early, there’s nothing like curling up in front of the fire with a bowl of popcorn. I don’t eat the popcorn from a bag that is prepared in the microwave — too much sodium. The kind I eat is prepared the old-fashioned way in a pot on the stove, then drizzled with just the right amount of melted butter and sprinkled with salt. Napkins are a must.

Years ago, I had a generous neighbor who would make batches of Honey Peanut Butter Popcorn, always sharing a big bowl of it with us. It would usually be during the summer time. We’d sit out on my front porch munching and visiting, and suddenly, the bowl would be empty. The snack that my neighbor had intended for my family was gone.

I hadn’t thought of that sweet, chewy treat in such a long time. But the other night, as I was sitting on the couch with my big bowl of buttered popcorn, watching The Biggest Loser, that popcorn treat popped right into my mind.

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midnightpizzaWhen I awoke bleary-eyed at 12:15 am last night, I rolled over to Jeff's side of the bed to discover a still-warm, empty spot. Fearing he was ill, I immediately walked to the bathroom. Empty. I walked into the kitchen and there he was, standing in the darkened room lit only by the bluish glow of the refrigerator light. His cheeks were bulging, and he was holding a big slice of leftover eggplant and caramelized onion pizza.

"Watcha doin'?" I asked.

"Noffin," he said, trying unsuccessfully, to hide the ball of pizza stuffed in his mouth.

"Doesn't look like nothin'," I said, "Looks like pizza."

"You're dreaming. Go back to bed," he said.

If ever there was a pizza worth getting up in the middle of the night, it's this eggplant, caramelized onion and prosciutto pizza with smoked mozzarella.

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loaded-baked-potato-soupI dream about this kind of soup. It's completely decadent. It's probably one of the biggest comfort foods out there. Which is perfect for this time of year in Oregon. It's cold, rainy, snowy, sleety and it's so dark outside by 2 in the afternoon. The gray landscape just begs for dishes like this Triple Threat Loaded Baked Potato Soup.

Now, what makes it a "triple threat"? Let's see, it has lots of ham from my juicy ham I made the other day, it's full of bacon and extra sharp cheddar cheese...I won't even mention the cream, buttermilk and sour cream in here too. It is the best dang soup you could ever imagine. The kind of soup you have to force yourself NOT to eat three or four bowlfuls...because you'll want to. And you might even do it.

My husband took one bite and just looked at me like, "are you serious...this is incredible"...umm, yes, I know. Did you expect anything less....(insert maniacal laughter now)?

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Cobbler, slump, or grunt; have you heard of these desserts? Most people can recognize a cobbler, a fruit dessert baked in a casserole with a dough topping but with no bottom crust. A slump or grunt is almost the same thing except that they are simmered on the stove, resulting in a steamed dumpling-like top. Supposedly one dessert is named after how the dumplings look (they slump) and the other after the sound the bubbling fruit makes (it grunts). All three are considered New England specialties dating back to Colonial times, when they would have been made in a cast-iron pan over a fire. Luckily we now have the luxury of using a stove or oven.

Many fruits make wonderful cobblers, slumps, or grunts. Apples are very well known in cobblers, but I like mine with stone fruit, especially peaches or plums. Nectarines and cherries, or a combination of all of the above would work extremely well too. Recently I picked up a few pints of very nice red plums at Sherwood Farm in Easton, CT. Lately they have become one of my favorite farm markets selling a little bit of every fruit and vegetable. When I saw those bright red plums, I immediately knew that I was going to make one of these simple and homey desserts.

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chocsaltpeanutcookiesSo really, is there anything better than a chocolate chip cookie to satisfy a sweet tooth? I didn't think so. There's something so special about a homemade chocolate chip cookie, warm out of the oven. Just think back to when you were a kid making cookies with mom or grandma—they always made pretty amazing cookies from scratch. So don't even think of making the kind from a refrigerator can or boxed mix. You have to agree that homemade is the best hands-down.

There are countless different versions of the classic recipe, but the best chocolate chip cookies don't have chips but chunks, chopped from a big block of premium chocolate. But I take the classic recipe one step further and add a Halloween favorite candy, peanut butter cups, and a sprinkling of salt.

Chocolate chip cookie purists might turn up their noses at that. But I think they (along with peanut butter fans) will love these cookies. Trust me—these cookies have been tasted and approved by discerning mouths. This recipe is great for using up any leftover Halloween chocolates. But if you're a fan of peanut butter cups like I am, you'll make these cookies all-year long without having any special reason or occasion.

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