Foodie Finds: Cooking can be therapy

After the last few months of brutal winter weather I have come to the conclusion that cooking is my therapy. During the long days when I was iced in and unable to even leave the house, I found solace in the kitchen. Whether it was exploring a new recipe or technique, or revisting all-time favorites or classics cooking helped me shake off the gray days and feelings. My daughters have always said food is my love language and now I realize it’s my therapy as well. I feel grounded when I’m stirring a pot of stew, experimenting with new flavors of focaccia, or simmering some sort of hearty soup.

Great read

Even reading cookbooks is part of my therapy. I’m always on the hunt for a new author or style of cooking I don’t know. I checked out the new cookbook from Steven and Evie Colbert Does This Taste Funny? Through this cookbook I traveled to the South and found both old and new recipes. As a bonus the book has comments from both authors on each page relating to the recipe, making it a great read! Cara’s Almond-Basil Cookies is one recipe on my list to try. Southern classics like Tomato Shed Pie, Red Rice or Cayenne Pepper-Pimento Cheese Spread sound scrumptious.

Improving pot roast & frocaccia

So here are some of the dishes I made during the snowstorms. Ina Garten’s Company Pot Roast was perfect to slow cook in the oven on a bitter cold day. I was able to make several meals from a small roast and then made beef stew over biscuits with some of the leftovers. This is comfort food at it’s best! The recipe is also in Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics.

I experimented with new flavors of focaccia bread (pictured). I tried blue cheese, walnut and pear drizzled with hot honey and it was amazing! No need to buy potpourri when the smell of fresh bread with yummy toppings is wafting through the house.

Glorious pancakes

While falling down rabbit holes on the internet, I stumbled on a recipe from Cook’s Illustrated for Deluxe Blueberry Pancakes that shook my world! This recipe calls for malted milk powder (I actually had some in my pantry!) along with buttermilk (I had some in the freezer!), which take these pancakes to the next level. The recipe made several pancakes so I wrapped some in parchment paper and stored in a freezer bag in the freezer. I am still reaping the benefits of this cook and it is a real treat to pop one of these pancakes in the microwave for a quick minute for an easy breakfast!

Cooking happiness

What are your go-to comfort foods? Are they things that remind of you of your heritage and your family? Dust off those cherished recipes and relive some great memories or experiment with new recipes and make new memories. I find happiness in my kitchen and I hope you can too. I think that is the true definition of a foodie.