This past week has been a bit of a bumpy ride for me as a result of the routine medical procedure (mentioned here) that I had at the hospital last Monday. I have a follow-up doctor's appointment later this week to find out more about how it went and what the next course of action will be in regards to the particular chronic illness of mine that such was for, and that's weighing on my mind a fair bit at the moment.
I'm always an optimist though, and after fourteen years of being a multiple severe chronic illness fighter, I've been down similar - and much worse - paths many a time before, so I'm just thinking positively, hoping for the best, and reminding myself that anything can be tackled in one way or another.
Thankfully I've had our upcoming trip to Edmonton to help divert my thoughts from my health this month and that has been quite a blessing for sure. And this past weekend, I took a stab at answering the 40 Random Beauty Questions tag here, which was oodles of (distracting) fun as well.
Before delving further into today's post, I wholeheartedly want to thank all of you who have left caring blog comments and/or sent well wish filled emails my way in recent days. They truly mean so much to me.
While last week wasn't a ton of fun and this week won't likely be worlds better, I really am doing positively and can feel my body recovering more and more from last Monday's procedure with each passing day. Thus, I expect this week to be "life as usual" on all blogging fronts.
As we head into the final month of summer and the weather is starting to shift (we had, for example, some pounding rain and strong wind here last night that felt and sounded more like November, than August!), many of us are starting to rouse our ovens from hibernation and are thinking to hearty, delicious comfort foods once more.
Between the season and the fact that I'm in recovery mode right now on the health front, comfort foods are definitely on my mind as we kick off the second to last week of August. As such, I wanted to share a fun little selection of five different mid-century vintage comfort food dishes I've come across lately online that all fit that bill for me.
Of course what constitutes a comfort food will differ for each of us and there are probably dozens, if not hundreds, of recipes that I'd put under that header myself.
These five have common elements that are often seen as being part and parcel for a comfort dish (such as simmering, baking, or fragrant, inviting aromas), and as they suit the tail end of summer and certainly all of the fall (and winter) awesomely, I thought that today would be a great time to share them here with all of you.
1. Bold, flavourful, and a cinch to multiple as many times over as you need, Chili con Carne is a fabulous dish that, arguably, tastes even better a day or two after it was made. If you're not a meat eater or simply prefer your chili without the carne, ditch it and up the quantity of beans (or a vegetarian/vegan ground meat substitute) instead.
This particular chili recipe calls for Campbell’s Tomato Soup, but of course it can be made with tomato sauce or even simmered (diced) stewed tomatoes instead, if you’d prefer.
Though not overly traditional, I'm also partial to adding some sweet bell pepper to my chilli as well. And on the toppings front, sour cream and a sharp cheddar or Monetary Jack cheese are musts for me. It's hard to go wrong, too, with a hefty slab of corn bread served up on the side.
2. One of the very first things that I rush head first for the moment we start to get even the tiniest hint that fall is on its way again, is pumpkin (canned, fresh and frozen alike). Each year I make up at least one or two classic spiced pumpkin cakes or batches of cupcakes (on top of other pumpkin standards like pie, muffins, and soup) and they have become a lovely family tradition around our home (we always invite my folks 'round to tuck into such with us).
This delightful Pumpkin Cake recipe from 1948 is somewhat similar to the (albeit it GF and EF) version that I make, though I add more spices, including a couple teaspoons of cinnamon, and frost mine with a rich cream cheese icing.
Pumpkin Cake is an awesome, beautifully scented dessert and one that I find compliments nearly any autumn time meal to a tee.
3. Another fabulous vintage dish that lends itself to being multiplied is the classic Swedish Meatball. Easily, made, too, if so desired with alternative ground meats such as turkey, chicken, or (lean) pork, Swedish Meatballs are great as appetizers, starters, or as the heart of a meal itself.
If opting for the latter, they're especially nice served on a bed of hot buttered rice, noodles, (cooked) spaghetti squash, or fluffy mashed potatoes. They also freeze wonderfully, which makes them a great choice for busy fall evenings when you might not have time to prepare dinner from scratch.
4. There's just something about the scent of bread baking that fills the soul with comfort and happiness. It's almost a primal feeling for many of us, as we knowing that this glorious smell has indicated that nourishing subsistence was coming humanity's way for thousands of years now.
Today’s bread recipe isn't quite that ancient, but it is a few decades old and calls for the inclusion of a hearty breakfast cereal that dates all the way back to 1897.
This quick, easy and delicious recipe for Grape-Nut Bread is a wonderful a base for savoury or sweet toppings alike, and is wonderful enjoyed on its own, too - perhaps with a steaming mug of pumpkin spice latte, spiced apple cider, or hot cocoa.
5. As touched on a time or two before here over the years (such as in this 2014's vintage recipe post for Honey Pound Cake - itself a marvelous yesteryear comfort food), I know that raisins aren't exactly everyone's cup of tea.
If, however, like me, you flip for them, then this recipe for a classic - and, IMO, far too infrequently seen these days - Raisin Pie is bound to have you swooning up a storm.
I love raisin pie so much, I'd say it's in my top ten (or perhaps even top five) favourite pies of all-time. Sometimes I'll make it with a mix of regular raisins (like those here) and golden sultans, too, and frequently dish slices of this awesome pie up with a generous scoop of vanilla, butterscotch ripple, or cinnamon ice cream.
{To learn more about a specific vintage recipe image used in today's post, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}
♥ ♥ ♥
Though you could of course serve all five of these dishes together as part of one big meal, you certainly do not have to in the slightest (aka, this list isn't a menu plan per se, just a fun assortment of lovely, stick-to-your ribs mid-century foods).
Each of them shines on its own and can usually be modified/adapted to suit your tastes and/or dietary needs, as required (save perhaps if you need to make the Grape-Nut Bread GF, as Grape-Nuts themselves contain scads of gluten; in that case, I'd probably make a similar style of GF bread using real chopped nuts and/or a similar style of gluten-free breakfast cereal, such as Crunchy Flax from the brand Enjoy Life, instead).
Over the years I've shared quite a few other vintage comfort food posts here as well. So definitely check out the vintage recipes section for scads more ideas on that front, if you are looking to put together a larger meal, dinner party, or holiday feast, or would simply like some further old school culinary inspiration.
While the past few days haven't been the best ever for me, it's wonderful to have so many things in my life - from the gift of sweet online friends to our upcoming travels to the fact that fall is just around the corner - to help keep my spirits up, no matter what the universe throws my way.
When the seasons start to change hands once more and a familiar nip returns to the air, what are some of your favourite - vintage or contemporary - comfort foods to whip up for these gorgeous, all-too-short days of summer into autumn?
