Comfort food

I hate drama, stress and all it's accompaniments. I really do, but lately it seams to like me and it's one of those guests that you can't kick out until it's ready to move on. That old saying "When it rains, it pours," yea, it's a freaking  monsoon here! Thankfully nothing too serious and nothing more than anyone else has had to deal with in life it just feels like it's all piling up right now. The kids have been sick, my mom was hospitalized (false alarm, thankfully - but scared the poop out of us none the less), my Dad's aunt passed away after a long wonderful life (she was a very prominent person in his life and I hate seeing my parents sad) my husband hasn't been home before 8pm any night last week or this so far, my father-in-law had a knee replacement and the list goes on and on. Hailey is still sick, or according to the doctor, she's sick again. So it's been two miserable nights up with her and two more days stuck inside.

Truthfully, we have been with out hospitals, deaths, surgeries and sick kids for so long now that I suppose it's our turn. I am very grateful that we've gone as long as we have with out any of these. I guess, if I wanted to be altruistic, I would say that I suppose I'm ok with Drama camping at my house for a bit if that means it's leaving another family alone for a while but we all know that the world doesn't really work that way and I'm not quite that altruistic.

Needless to say, I've needed some serious comfort food lately! (Have I mentioned that I'm probably fat for a reason? My idea of comfort is good food and cuddling up on the couch with my family watching America's Funniest Home Videos. That breaks, like 10, "how not to be fat" rules! But ask me if I care right now)

Monday night was my brothers last night here in town. He's been here for a little over a month, living with my parents, while in job transition and it was time for him to go back to Dallas. To send him off full of good food and hopefully some comfort, I made him his favorite, stuffed manicotti.

Stuffed Manicotti (no pictures, sorry)

3 boxes manicotti shells or jumbo shells
2 large tubs ricotta cheese
3-4 cups mozzarella cheese
1 package Italian sausage
1 head (or bag) of spinach
Italian seasoning
6-8 cups of your favorite marinara sauce

I can't give you the recipe to my marinara sauce because I don't have one. I do it by the memory of my heart from making it for so many years. I use smell and taste to adjust as necessary and despite the fact that I'm blogging on a computer the size of most magazines, technology just hasn't advanced enough to bring you smell-o-vision or wet-n-taste. (Ok, eww, can you imagine the computers at the local library if they actually had either of those! Bleh!)

Moving on - In your crock pot simmer the sausage in the sauce until the sausage is cooked through. You can certainly do this with a few jars of your favorite sauce, I promise I won't tell as long as you don't rat me out for doing the same now and then! Cool slightly then dice. Wash and chop your spinach into small bits. In a large bowl combine the ricotta, 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, the diced sausage and spinach and about a tablespoon of the Italian seasoning. Mix well to combine, then transfer to a large zip top bag.

Boil the water for the noodles and cook them until the are just before done. You want them to still have a bit of a chew to them. That way they hold their shape well. They'll finish cooking in the sauce in the oven. Drain and transfer back to the pot.

Cover the bottom of a lasagna pan with 1-2 cups of sauce and set next to your filling station. Snip a chunk of the corner of the zip top bag off and use it like a piping bag to fill the shells. This beats the heck out of trying to spoon the mixture into the shells, trust me. Some of the shells will bust open, or split but that's ok, just lay them in the pan with the seam to the side or up, not seam down or the cheese will all melt out.

Layer side by side till the pan is full then cover with more sauce. Make sure the noodles are all covered with sauce or they get crispy in the oven. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 till golden and bubbly.

This made two large trays and two single serve trays.

YUM!


Tuesday I spent the whole day worried about Hailey after she was up all night with a fever and terrible headache. I was cuddling her and debating if I should take her into the doctor and did not get any of my grocery shopping done so I had to use just what was on hand for dinner. So, I made breakfast! French toast with the left over french bread from Monday's dinner, eggs in a basket and bacon. The heart just makes it all the more comforting!

Tonight's dinner is another one of my favorites. It can be made in the blink of an eye or done slow and fancy. Here's both the recipes.

Chicken taco soup (quick method):
3 chicken breasts
1 large can refried beans
1 bag frozen corn
1 can green chillies
1 small can tomato sauce or 1 cup salsa
1 packet taco seasoning
4-6 cups chicken broth
tortilla chips
salsa
cheese

Cook the chicken breasts in the oven, microwave or in the broth. Shredded or dice, add back to the pot and add the remaining ingredients except the chips and cheese. Simmer till hot. Serve with crunched up chips, a dollop of salsa and the shredded cheese.

Chicken taco soup (slow and fancy):

1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp Lawry's or other seasoning salt
1/2 white onion
3-4 medium carrots
3 ribs celery
3 cloves garlic
1 yellow or red bell pepper
1 can green chillies
1 large can refried beans
10-15 pieces of chicken, skin on (I used thighs this time and two chicken breasts)
1 bag sun dried tomatoes
1 bag frozen corn
chips
salsa
cheese

Wash and dry your chicken bits. Combine all the seasonings and rub onto the chicken.

Dice the veggies into small bits, set aside.

Sear the chicken 3-4 at a time in a large pot over medium high with olive oil or bacon grease. Once all the pieces are seared on each side, set aside to cool and drain the grease. Put the pot back onto the medium-high heat, add the veggies and 4 cups of water.
See all the yummy bits:

Scrape all the yummy bits off the bottom with a spatula. Remove the skin from the chicken and add them on top of the veggies. Add enough water to cover and cook on low for 2 hours until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove the chicken from the pot and cool again. Shred and discard the bones. Add the chicken back in, add the beans and simmer on it's lowest setting until hot and ready to eat.

Serve with crunched chips on top, a dollop of salsa and shredded cheese.

YUM!

This is one of those soups that can be changed up a million ways. Add a can of RoTel or a jar of salsa, use ground beef or turkey, add hominy, omit the veggies and go "pure" you name it!