Vererans Day and Comfort Food

Today is Veterans Day and I would like to Thank All of the Brave Men and Women all through our Country's history who have helped to make and keep our Country free!

I happened to see Nigella Lawson's cooking show a week back. I think it was Called Nigella Express, where everything is done with expediency. For example: I would make mac and cheese for Doug (used to be his favorite) with one pan, soft cheese, hard cheese, milk and a little butter plus seasonings....No oven, no white sauce etc. But yummy results just the same...well, no browned cheese on top. So you sacrifce some, only some, flavor that is imparted to the food with longer cooking/baking times and method.
So, She made a quick Chicken Pot Pie. Now, Caitlin loves these little assemblages and so does the Hubby. In fact after we moved here we went to dine ate the Walnut Room in Marshal Fields (now Macy's). This is a HUGE tradition for Chicagoans. Every year during the Thanksgiving/Christmas Holiday Season families would make sure to gather their loved ones around a table with a perfect view of the HUGE Christmas Tree (all tables had a perfect view). Oh, I must be getting back into my "posting form" for I have officially digressed! Ok! The Hubby ordered their chicken pot pie...yes that was one order, one visit. Oh yes, he LOVED the pie.

Now that you know all of that oh so important info... Nigella made this pie on her show and it looked so warm and perfect(read: "EASY"). I decided to make it and I even added the mushrooms which unfortunately the Hubby saw. I simply did not put any of those things into his serving. Easy...for me.



I also added peas and potatoes for them.



They loved it and I survived another meal decision!

This morning was quite cold so I treated myself to a cup of Hot Cocoa! I made it on the stove top, all from scratch. I made a "syrup" from cocoa, sugar and water first and then add more water with a couple of splashes of milk. I forgot the pinch of salt and drop of vanilla, but the marsh mellow made up for that! It was delicious! My Mom would make hot cocoa and some toast for my Dad sometimes. My Dad did not like sweets really, but this and an occasional (once a year cookie, singular) molasses cookie. We would make them homemade. Well, I would. I was very good at making pie crust back then also. But we had a large family and plenty of people to enjoy home baked treats.
Well, this is enough of cooking for now. If you would like Nigella's recipe you can find it here. Also, I did not add the bacon. I dislike cooking bacon. I thought of sneeking out to The Pancake Cafe' and picking up a side order of bacon, but I came to my senses... there was puff pastry going on top of these little morsels and garvy inside! Plenty of flavor. As it turned out they were happy with the way I made it. Good to the last drop!