Hello! Welcome to The Stone Soup Cook–I’m glad you’re here!
The weather here in Northern California has turned lusciously cool and breezy, which is a little unusual for us, considering that Septembers around here frequently come with high heat, heavy smoke that chokes our air, dry, hot winds and threats of wildfires. But this year, the weather gods are smiling on us and, at least for now, we’re enjoying some really gorgeous fall weather. It’s still very dry and probably will be for several more weeks to come, but the nights are clear and as crisp as a fall apple, and in the morning, the fog rolls in and hugs us like a comfortable, cozy blanket. It’s been a great time to get all snoodled up in a down comforter and settle in with a good book or cuddle up with a loved one.
This is the type of weather that always makes me crave foods that my mom made for Sunday dinners in the fall and winter. On Sunday mornings when I was a kid, mom would get up early and get our afternoon meal in the oven or on the stove before we left to go to church. The food would roast or simmer while we were at services and when we got home, the house was filled with the comforting smells of pot roast, lentil soup or roast chicken. She also made a lot of bread on Sundays–she’d let it rise while we were gone and get it baking soon after arriving home, filling the air with the tantalizing aroma of freshly baked bread that always brought daydreams for peaceful slumber during a Sunday afternoon movie. To this day, when I’m sitting in my pew at church on Sunday morning, my thoughts inevitably turn to comfort foods and fresh bread.
Mom usually made a lot of food for those Sunday meals, and took Sunday evenings off from cooking; but we would frequently see leftovers from those Sunday feasts used to create meals later in the week. Mom always refers to this as “coasting in the kitchen.”
This week, I will be featuring comforting foods that will make enough for leftovers, along with a recipe or two to make later in the week using those leftovers.
So let’s get cooking!
We’re going to start with a pot of beans. A delicious pot of beans and fresh bread one night, turns into a rich, comforting pot of chili another night.
And with it, some freshly baked bread:
And later in the week, re-purpose those leftover beans to make a rich, spicy pot of chili:
And what could be better with that chili than cherry cornbread? Trust me–it makes a perfect side for the savory, spicy chili!
That’s it for today, but tune in tomorrow for recipes for more comfort food!
Until then,
Peace, love and good food,
Keri
