Friday, September 7, 2007

Comfort Food

Back to school, September, the slight change in temperature all make me think of fall. Which makes me think of "Comfort Food". You know the kind of food, that warms your soul, makes you think of childhood, and big family dinners. Well today I wanted to share a couple of recipes that are my kind of comfort food. The first recipe is a new recipe with familiar flavors, and the second is an old family favorite.

Upside Down Apple Ginger Bread Cake
I must admit I was a little sceptical about this recipe, I tend to use Southern Living, Martha Stewart, or Paula Deen type recipes. You know the kind loaded with fat!!! This recipe was found in The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook (I have had this book for years but never really used it). The results were fantastic!!! This cake is especially tasty served warm from the oven.

Any where there is an option given to use margarine or butter, I used butter. I don't even have margarine in my house. I know , I know butter is so, so fattening, but it's also so, so tasty!!!

1T stick margarine or butter melted
1/4 C packed brown sugar
2 C thinly slice peeled Granny Smith Apples
1 1/4 C all purpose flour
1t ginger
1t cinnamon
3/4 t baking soda
1/4 t nutmeg
1/8 t cloves
1/3 C granulated sugar
1/4 C stick margarine or butter, softened
1/3 C molasses
1 L egg
1/2 C plain fat free yogurt
1/3 C chopped pitted date ( optional)
3 T chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350
1. Coat bottom of 9 inch cake pan with melted butter.
Sprinkle brown sugar over butter.
Arrange apples spokelike over brown sugar.
2. Spoon flour into measuring cup; level with knife.
Combine flour and next 6 ingredients; set aside.
3. Beat granulated sugar and 1/4 C butter for 5 minutes on medium speed.
Add molasses and egg, beat well. Add flour mixture alternately with yogurt, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix well after each addition.
Stir in dates and walnuts if desired.
4. Pour batter over apple slices. Sharply tap pan on counter to remove any air bubbles.
5. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until tooth pick comes out clean.
Cool in pan on wire rack for 5 minutes. Run narrow metal spatula around sides to loosen. Place plate upside down on pan; invert cake onto plate. Serve warm. Yield 8 servings.
IMG_2851
This next recipe is an all time family favorite!!! I can remember my grandmother making it for family dinner, my mother has made it and still makes it for family dinner, and I make it quite often as well. It probably one of my husbands favorite foods, a real crowd pleaser!!!
Chicken and Noodles
Stew Chicken:
Whole cut up chicken with skin
celery
salt to taste
pepper to taste
cover with water
After chicken is cooked discard skin, bones, celery.
Chill broth, and skim fat.
Noodles:
3 eggs
6 T cream
3t salt
beat with whip
Add 1 1/2 C flour and blend
Work in more flour if needed to create a workable dough
Place dough on a floured surface and roll thin.
Leave the dough to dry 6-8 hours.
When dough is almost dry, slice into noodles.
Chicken and Noodles:
Bring broth to boil (add canned if you don't have enough)
Add noodles to broth, along with chopped chicken
Simmer about 8 minutes or until noodles are done.
Lower the temperature and add 2 T Butter, salt and pepper to taste, and milk or half and half to desired consistency.
IMG_2844
This particular dish isn't very photogenic, but I promise the taste will not disappoint!!!
Fancy that, something new and something old, recipes just like new and old friends can bring comfort!!
DeeLight

12 comments:

Deborah said...

This is why I love fall - the comfort food!! That cake sounds wonderful!! (and the soup, too!)

Belinda said...

Comfort food rules! Your cake looks and sounds beautiful, and chicken and noodles, gosh, what can be better than that?! I am like you, Dee, and can be a bit skeptical about recipes that are very low fat, but its amazing how tasty they can sometimes be, isn't it? :-)

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh, those chicken and noodles look SOOOOO yummy!

Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe said...

That upside down ginger cake looks yummy! I am going to hang on to this and give it a try.
Thanks for visiting the WhistleStop Cafe, Now that I know where to find you I will be back again.

Thimbleanna said...

Yum, those look great! Comfort food season is soon upon us -- yipee!

Adrienne said...

That cake looks FANTASTIC!!!!!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

Sounds like delicious comfort food. I have lots of Cooking Light recipes that call for margarine, too, and just use butter. It tastes better and has the same calories.

Chickenbells said...

That looks so yummy! Give me a bowl of mashed potatoes anytime...my ultimate comfort!

Kelly said...

YUMMMMMMMMMMM! -kb

Heidijayhawk said...

yummy! can't wait to try a few of those recipes girlie!

Unknown said...

Oh you made me so hungry!! Thank you so much for the delicious recipes, how wonderful!! I will be trying both of these for sure! My family will LOVE them :) Yes, it is indeed the time of year for warm, creamy comfort food!!!

Amy

Sandy said...

Both of these recipes sound incredible! I'm comin' to your hosue for dinner! :)
Sandy