Any comfort foods that you are eating now? For those still fasting, what are you planning to make after Friday? My tendency is to want to eat casseroles and things and hibernate now that the fast is over and it’s cold (relatively speaking) outside. Obviously a lot of things can be made with lower fat and calories, but still, it’s not good for a steady diet! Eating a few things that you really, really enjoy is nice, and keeps you from stuffing on all manner of things that you only find so-so.
Some things that would be nice today (it’s cold and overcast) if it weren’t a strict fast day:
Bread pudding
Bean, corn and cheese casserole with bacon added in (Father says everything is improved with bacon.)
Chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
etc.
Praying With My Feet 
Matushka, have you seen the forecast for NEXT week? It's supposed to be bitterly cold, back in the teens, etc. I'm thinking soup, and lots of it!
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Oops, that was me talking about lots of soup. Oatmeal, hot tea, and cocoa are also on the list!
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I have to throw in my southern-two-cents here. I love shrimp and cheese grits. I can't have them often due to food allergies in my house; but on a fasting day, cooking the grits in almond milk, adding veggie shreds and extra special cavenders spices to the shrimp make it all worthwhile. Of course, I have the chicken noodle soup and grilled cheese on the horizon!
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Alas, all my comfort foods (stuffed grape leaves or cabbage, stuffed koosa squash, ma'loobeh) were created within contexts of extended families cooking together or having a gaggle of daughters. They take hours to prepare on my own. š¦ Fr. A helps me roll when he has spare time (haha) but when he's busy (um.. house blessing season,KWIM?) I'm on my own. I just got a 7 qt crock pot, so my current tendency is to open my fridge grab 3 veggies and a meat (or beans, depending on the fast) and throw them in with broth. I come back five hours later and taste and spice. But it's warm and usually not un-tasty.
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Beef Stroganoff (with plenty of sherry… still tweaking this for dairy allergies at our house), Chicken and Dumplings with mashed potatoes, a Greek Chili recipe (including garbanzo beans and all kinds of odd spices like mint and chocolate, in addition to the regular stuff!) are all on my current menu. Chicken Star soup is on the lunch rotation, as are grilled cheese and tomato soup. Mmmm…. maybe I should do a post with some links. Many of these can be found online. š
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Oh, and rice pudding with cinnamon and cream (well, goat milk, in our house)! Both my girls tried (!) and liked (double !) it this morning.
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LV, whose forecast are you looking at? I see temp ranges from upper twenties to thirties for lows to fifties to lower sixties for highs!
Ok, I am SO hungry now. (Gotta fit into the dress, gotta fit into the dress, gotta…)
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After our Nativity, I am looking forward to chicken and dumplings. And for breakfast an egg sandwich.
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Matushka, I waited for the local forecast here in Hburg to be sure I heard right. Last night he was saying “teens” for lows next week; tonight he said “low 20s.” Still too cold for me!
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oh, I like the idea of the bread pudding! It looks like you used white bread for it? Hmmm…..
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I must confess we are planning macaroni and cheese for Christmas day… we have all been craving it so much! Especially my husband. š Later in the week I have a piece of moose meat to roast… but I have a feeling moose isn't as readily available down there. š
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Elizabeth (Ottowa), I used day-old English muffin bread from the bakery at the grocery store. I didn't use regular white bread because I figured it would just fall apart. It works better if you use something a little more “durable”.
Elizabeth (Alaska), um, yeah, we don't have that down here. Of course, you could get alligator tail, crawfish, deer, chitlin's…
What does moose taste like?
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The moose I've had tastes just like beef or buffalo. I am sure it can be “gamey”, but fixed with plenty of onions and garlic and spices, I would never have known the difference…
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Father said he's had buffalo jerky and “enjoyed it thoroughly”. (c;
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thanks! I don't know if anyone here makes English muffin bread, but I will see what is around… am thinking of making this for my Ottawa birthday… THANKS for letting me know… š
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Oh, and Elizabeth, STALE bread is best. If you don't have very stale bread or only have fresh bread, put the slices out on the counter or something and leave them for several hours, turning once or twice. I find if I put them in the oven I toast them to death.
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Stale French bread is also great. When I lived in New Orleans, I sometimes encountered bread pudding to which fruit cocktail had been added. Not my cup of tea, but children might like it.
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One of my all time favorite comfort foods is veggie broth with tiny pastina in it. It warms me up and reminds me of my Nonna (my dad's mom). I also love hot cocoa with marshmallows š
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