We’ve had a couple of rainy days right in a row in our neck of the woods. It’s the kind of weather that makes me dash from house to car to office to car to house, ducking my head under the flimsy jacket more appropriate for a climate-controlled work environment. The drops slip down my neck and send chills down my back; my toes are chilly under the cold breath of the defroster. I want to curl up in comfy clothes, under a fuzzy blanket, with a mug of tea in hand. Most of all, I yearn for heavy, stick-to-your ribs food.
I know it’s still summer and the food is light! and refreshing! But, you know, that’s not really my thing. (It doesn’t help that summer is my least favorite season, by far, and I starting longing for fall as soon as July 4th passes.) I just don’t go for the gazpachos and fruity salads and icy drinks. My favorite summer foods are the filling-est ones: corn on the cob, burgers, barbecue chicken, and pasta salad. I love the bounty of fresh fruit, but I like feeling full, too. I find that I’m hungrier more often these days, but handfuls of grapes only do so much.
And I miss using my oven. I can’t blame JG for grilling as much as possible during the summer to keep the heat outside and it makes perfect sense. It means that our household casserole count is much lower and my guilty love of leftovers goes unfulfilled. I miss the smells most of all. Other than charcoal, summer food leaves much to be desired in the smell category, in my opinion. Where’s the smell of chicken pot pie? What about macaroni and cheese? What about chili? Oh, how I long for thee.
This week, when JG and I discussed the meal plan, all I could think about were my beloved comfort foods. Luckily, I can indulge because the weather is so much cooler right now. Yesterday, I made a baked ziti, shepherd’s pie is up for tomorrow, a zucchini-mushroom casserole is on for Thursday, and I’ll make a tuna noodle casserole over the weekend. This carb-binge comes before I head out next week for a few days in
Thank you, rainy weather. Thank you.
7 comments
I’m with you on missing those heavy foods during the summer. Fruit is delicious, but it still leaves me craving something baked and dripping with melted cheesy goodness. Typically, no matter what the weather is, I will always choose a hot meal over a cold one. I just feel so much more satisfied at the end of a stick-to-your-ribs meal.
Mm, cheesy goodness. It just makes things so much better. And more fattening. Boo.
yeah what is up with the weather? I left Denver today, sunny, blue skies and about 95 degrees. Arrived in DC, gray, rainy, and almost cold!!
That’s hilarious. Not a fair trade at all, huh?
It has been rainy and 65 here for the past few days. I LOVE it! Everyone at work was complaining that it is still summer and shouldn’t be “cold”, but I’ll take rainy with a chill over the 95 degree weather and unbearable humidity that comes with August in the midwest.
Today we are cooking homemade mac and cheese. Yummy hot filling comfort food!
Love it! The 65 degrees AND the mac and cheese. I can’t wait until fall. Of course, then the redundant I-love-fall entries will ensue.
I have been loving these past few rainy days, too. The air is cooler, I don’t sweat through my shirt walking to work, we can sleep with the windows open, and I don’t have to water the plants every day. It’s a great excuse to stay inside without the guilt that comes with “wasting” beautiful summer day.
But summer is your least favorite season? That’s just crazy talk.
Seriously, I really dislike summer. I hate being hot. But really, I love love love fall. I love sweaters and the food and corduroys and scarves and college football… Ah. Fall is also really fleeting in this mid-Atlantic region, not like in New England, where the leaves change color and stay put for a while, darn it! For me, summer loses its charm so soon and it sticks around forEVER.
At least someone is happy about this crappy weather!! I had to wear a jacket to work this morning! A jacket!
Aw. I do love jackets, for what it’s worth. Just ask JG how much space he gets in the coat closet…
Well, it’s still blistering hot here in the desert and I’d love a little break. And by “break” I mean “Can’t it just top-out at 90 one day instead of 103?!?” Hope you have a fantastic time in San Francisco! xox
Oh, my lord, I can’t even imagine three-digit heat. Even trying to make my head process that makes me want a glass of ice water. Ugh.
Mmm. When are you going to share some of your recipes with us? Zucchini-mushroom caserole sounds really good.
Your wish is my command! The zucchini casserole is a Cooking Light recipe, where I substituted 10 ounces of sliced mushrooms for the sausage. The original is delicious, but JG doesn’t love sausage, that’s all. The mushrooms make the casserole almost-vegetarian, except for the chicken stock, which is kind of nice, too.
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