A Food Post

Here lately I have been missing my Mama. So many things are happening in my life right now. Most of them good. All of them are topics I'd like to discuss with her. She was so good at coming up with solutions and giving such good advice. She was a typical middle child. The ultimate peacekeeper. She was also really good at being excited for the milestones in my life. We have hit SO many lately. Four years and I'm still not very good at being without her. Dang. Well....onto the food then. My Mama made simple, no fuss meals for us every single night. Even when she worked she cooked. One of our favorites was Chicken Rice Casserole. I will give you the recipe as she made it....and my adaptations.

Boil one chicken and set aside to cool. (I use three big boneless chicken breasts and pull out 2 c. of shredded chicken and freeze the rest)
In 1 c. of the broth, boil 1/2 c. chopped carrots and 1/2 c. chopped celery and 1/2 half a medium sized onion for about 5 minutes and set aside. Do not drain. (No...leave out the celery. It's gross. I usually add more rice and carrots so I use 2 c. of broth)
Melt 1/4 c. butter and add 1/4 c. flour. (I use about 5 TBS butter and a heaping 1/4 c. of flour)
 Add 2 c. broth and bring to a soft boil to thicken. Add 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. paprika. Stir in 1 can cream of chicken soup and 1/2 c. uncooked (not instant) rice (I use 1 c. of rice and lately have used 1/2 rice 1/2 quinoa...delish!). 
Add chicken (that you have pulled off the bones) and the veggies you boiled...water and all...and stir to combine. Put in buttered baking dish (9x13) and cover. Bake for 1 1/2 hours at 350*.

This casserole is by far my favorite comfort food. When I am missing Mom...this is what I cook. Due to the unusual longing for her lately, I also made her Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal, Applesauce Cookies. The last few times I have made these they have dried out pretty fast. My sister Kim is the ultimate cookies maker and they turn out for her every time. These cookies were the first thing I learned to make by myself. I would whip up a double batch on a Sunday night and take a bunch to my room to "help" me with my homework....you know, brain food!!
3/4 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 c. applesauce
2 c. oatmeal
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 (heaping) tsp nutmeg
1/2 (heaping) tsp cinnamon
1/2 c. milk
2 c. flour
Cream together Shortening and sugar. Add the eggs. Add the dry ingredients and then the rest of the stuff (yes, that is what my recipe card says). Using a medium cookie scoop (about a golf ball sized scoop) place on cookie sheet and bake at 350* for 8-10 minutes. The bottoms and edges will be brown...but not the tops.

So there you have the ultimate comfort food....for me anyway. It's not really working. I still miss her. What?? Food won't take away the hurt? No...it will. I just have to eat more :) Do you have a favorite comfort food recipe??