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Some of the "old school" dishes that "southern country cooks" made had no spices other than salt and pepper - and maybe bacon or bacon grease or a ham hock for flavor! I think about how delicious my grandmother's turnip greens, black eyed peas, and chicken and dumplings were - YUM! With a big ol' slab of cornbread - my gosh, that was good eating! One time I was out working in the yard for hours and came in and she had made all that up and I think that is my memory of my biggest meal ever! Or at least I was the hungriest I have ever been, which is a blessing now that I think of it.
Anyway, my husband's mom made a country style cornbread dressing for either Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner (depending on the crowd) and it has ZERO spices in it other than salt and pepper. I couldn't believe it had nothing else spicy in it because it was just so stinking good so I sat with her one year and painstakingly wrote down every step (I say painstakingly because she didn't measure anything so I was guessing on a lot of it). All that is in it is cornbread, hard boiled eggs, celery, onion (optional - she had a brother who couldn't eat onion and would often leave that out if he was coming), butter, salt, pepper, chicken pieces and chicken stock. THAT IS IT. The first year I made it I wanted to add sage or SOMETHING so badly, but I resisted temptation and it was and still is delicious. She's gone now and I can't tell you how glad I am that I sat with her and wrote out that recipe. I have passed it on to my kids and my inlaws, with the admonishment "DO NOT ADD ANYTHING ELSE TO THIS RECIPE IF YOU WANT IT TO TASTE LIKE THE ORIGINAL," and they always say "Oh, I only want the original!" and then they look through the recipe and nearly always exclaim, "What, no spices?"
-Baked potatoes with toppings of choice...plain or fancy as you like.
-Pasta tossed in olive oil, herbs, and parmesan...add in chopped tomatoes, baby spinach, anything you
choose, really.
-Omelets filled with one's choice of filling
-Stirfrying or oven roasting whatever vegetables are in the fridge. Serve with rice.
-Black bean soup..slow cook black beans with garlic and onion, in water or broth or a combo, season to taste.
Blend up with an immersion blender before serving.
I admit I do love heavily seasoned food but occasionally I crave plain old comfort food. These are some of my favorites that satisfy that craving.
Ravioli bake-this can be easy, jarred sauce, frozen ravioli, preshredded cheese, frozen rolls or it all can be made from scratch.
S.O.S.
Krakus ham with glaze and pineapples with cloves to attach to the ham, mashed potaoes with peas.
Torsk- it's a nice simple fish dish that I just love.
Some of the "old school" dishes that "southern country cooks" made had no spices other than salt and pepper - and maybe bacon or bacon grease or a ham hock for flavor! I think about how delicious my grandmother's turnip greens, black eyed peas, and chicken and dumplings were - YUM! With a big ol' slab of cornbread - my gosh, that was good eating! One time I was out working in the yard for hours and came in and she had made all that up and I think that is my memory of my biggest meal ever! Or at least I was the hungriest I have ever been, which is a blessing now that I think of it.
Anyway, my husband's mom made a country style cornbread dressing for either Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner (depending on the crowd) and it has ZERO spices in it other than salt and pepper. I couldn't believe it had nothing else spicy in it because it was just so stinking good so I sat with her one year and painstakingly wrote down every step (I say painstakingly because she didn't measure anything so I was guessing on a lot of it). All that is in it is cornbread, hard boiled eggs, celery, onion (optional - she had a brother who couldn't eat onion and would often leave that out if he was coming), butter, salt, pepper, chicken pieces and chicken stock. THAT IS IT. The first year I made it I wanted to add sage or SOMETHING so badly, but I resisted temptation and it was and still is delicious. She's gone now and I can't tell you how glad I am that I sat with her and wrote out that recipe. I have passed it on to my kids and my inlaws, with the admonishment "DO NOT ADD ANYTHING ELSE TO THIS RECIPE IF YOU WANT IT TO TASTE LIKE THE ORIGINAL," and they always say "Oh, I only want the original!" and then they look through the recipe and nearly always exclaim, "What, no spices?"
Nope, not a one.
One time we had some family over to eat, my aunt and cousin, who always "cook healthy", just couldn't get enough of my wife's green beans. When my aunt asked her how she cooked them my wife said just bacon grease, a couple cut up pieces of bacon, salt and pepper, and just let them cook all day. My aunt said "You mean you cook all the nutrients out of them?" "Yes, Ma'am!" Aunt went back for another helping. lol
It was hard to get recipes from my mother, because she was another one who didn't measure hardly anything. Her directions were "just a little bit of this" or add this till the mixture looks right. lol
Sweet corn might be in season some places now. Shucking the corn, scrubbing the silk in cold water, boiling the ears, and then buttering and salting them while hot is the essence of simple food.
Slicing large, ripe tomatoes, and anointing them with olive oil and fresh herb is another lovely plain food dish.
And, when tomatoes are in season, a BLT is another simple, and sublime, food. I like adding a slice of Provolone cheese to my BLTs.
A half avocado dusted with a little seasoned or garlic salt, and eaten with a spoon, is another good plain food.
Sweet corn might be in season some places now. Shucking the corn, scrubbing the silk in cold water, boiling the ears, and then buttering and salting them while hot is the essence of simple food.
Slicing large, ripe tomatoes, and anointing them with olive oil and fresh herb is another lovely plain food dish.
And, when tomatoes are in season, a BLT is another simple, and sublime, food. I like adding a slice of Provolone cheese to my BLTs.
A half avocado dusted with a little seasoned or garlic salt, and eaten with a spoon, is another good plain food.
All these are some of my favorites!
We are FINALLY having some luck with our tomatoes in the garden (after trying for years - LOL). My gosh, a big fresh tomato sliced up with salt and pepper? YUM.
White food is comfort food to me - potatoes, butter, rolls, rice, pasta. All the carbohydrates. And when Fall starts to come around with it's forewarning of the season of loss that will be the food I start to crave.
We joke about our white meals. Both Chef Daughter and I like to plan a meal as much by presentation as by taste and a meal which is all the same color doesn't sit on the table with much appeal.
Even our Scandinavian Christmas cookie tray is all white. Butter, cream, eggs, flour, sugar. It's Mother's milk.
We are FINALLY having some luck with our tomatoes in the garden (after trying for years - LOL). My gosh, a big fresh tomato sliced up with salt and pepper? YUM.
Home comfort food to me is plain white rice with dal (lentils cooked with mild spices), mango pickles (am from Indian background).
Plain white rice would be comfort food for many people.
I would choose plain brown rice, myself. I like it with steamed broccoli. Mmm good.
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