Food & A Wheel

Comfort Food for the Heart

Last Sunday my heart broke. 

Not due to loss of love or faith....it was of all things Football.

As a life long JETS fan I can stand the disappointment of their never ending topsy turvy what the what is going on failure. When Fireman Ed hung up his helmet I knew things would never be the same. But the hometown Falcons had the spirit, the determination and my heart.

In the end their loss hurt more than any personal sporting defeat I have experienced. It was a sad day in the ATL and as @RickTrotter tweeted : "Comfort food recipes?". 

It has been said "Food heals all wounds".  I'm certain that I almost cried in my soup last Sunday and did indeed find comfort in the kitchen. Take a bite out of these comforting recipes and mend a broken heart through your belly.

Peace Love Food.

 Horseradish Mashed Potatoes

4 lb large yellow-fleshed potatoes such as Yukon Gold, peeled and quartered
1 3/4 cups half-and-half
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup drained bottled horseradish

Cover potatoes with by 2 inches in a heavy pot cook to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, until very tender, about 25 minutes.

Drain cooked potatoes and mash with potato masher. Add the remaining ingredients and whip with a hand mixer until you have reached desired consistency. I prefer them lumpy.

Rolled Oats Meatloaf

• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• ½ half hot Italian sausage
• 1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1/2 cup ketchup, divided
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Heat oven to 350°.

Heat butter in small skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté until tender.

Combine cooked onion, ground beef, oats, tomato juice, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Stir until well blended. Press into 9x5x3-inch loaf pan or meatloaf pan.

Bake at 350° for 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and spread remaining barbecue sauce over top. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes longer.

Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Place loaf on serving plate. Slice and serve.
8 servings.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Shallots

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts
• 5 slices bacon
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 shallot, finely chopped

Peel the outer layer off the brussels sprouts, trim the ends and cut them in half. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove from the pan and chop coarsely.

Remove all but 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings from the pan. Add butter and melt together.

Saute the shallot in the pan and saute until starting to go clear.

Add the brussels sprouts and continue to cook on medium-high heat, until tender and starting to brown, about three to five minutes. Add the chopped bacon and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately

Skillet Corn Bread

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal (preferably stone-ground)
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk (do not use powdered)

½  cup diced red bell pepper

½ cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 stick unsalted butter

Equipment: a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Heat skillet in oven 10 minutes.
Meanwhile stir together dry ingredients in small bowl. Whisk together eggs and buttermilk in a medium bowl.
Remove hot skillet from oven (handle will be very hot) and add butter, swirling skillet to coat bottom and side (butter may brown). Whisk hot butter into buttermilk mixture and return skillet to oven. Stir cornmeal mixture into buttermilk mixture just until evenly moistened but still lumpy. Mix in the peppers.
Scrape batter into hot skillet and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn out onto a rack and cool.