Seasonal Sundays (Week 41) Fall Comfort Food

It's October and I've collected a few "fall favorites" ... cozy comfort food for cooler, shorter days.
Seasonal Sundays ♥ KitchenParade.com, a seasonal collection of recipes and life ideas in and out of the kitchen.

Welcome to Seasonal Sundays ...

Well, hey, all!

After taking August off (sort of, I still only managed four whole days "off" during the whole quarter) and using September Sundays to relaunch the How to Save Money on Groceries, Seasonal Sundays is back and hey, here you are too! Thank you for that!

And we've been at this pandemic thing for what, now, seven months? I don't know about you but the weeks whiz by, blink and it's Monday again.

And where will we be after another seven months, that would be May 2021? Will the next seven months pass just as fast? And what if there's another 7 months after that???

Does the very thought make anyone quake?

Hang in there, all ...

A Personal Exercise in Democracy

Our ballots arrived this week. We've been committed to voting early but are now re-thinking the decision. But the ballots' very presence in a kitchen drawer is a beacon demanding thought and attention, a high-pitched timer, a blinking beam.

Who else was (or is) a single-issue voter? I was, in my 20s. Was it a wise stance? Maybe, maybe not. In that 20-20 mirror, it did express a youthful zealotry for right and wrong, also the privilege of a life where "just one thing" could sit upon a pedestal above all else.

Would I ever love just one child? just one parent? choose eating vs breathing? working vs sleeping? or to lighten up a little ... just one vegetable or ice cream flavor over all others?

And this.

In other times, a single-issue vote wasn't a precarious choice. The "other side" might oppose my single issue but should "they" prevail at the ballot box, well, there was little worry that the very country was in peril.

So yeah, the 2020 ballot calls. It matters. And every vote should matter, mine just as much but no more than yours.

But what, exactly, do those marks on the ballot articulate?

This week, a busy brain began a furious list of the issues that cement my vote. I moved the whirlwind to pen and paper, a formal declaration of what I stand for and the conditions I resist. The list started off long; over some days I tweaked and teased, questioning adherence on each issue.

It's a personal exercise I recommend, taking stock of the meaning of your own vote.

Then go vote, early, in person on November 3, your call.

Our votes matter. Our choices matter even more.

About Political Ads

Just FYI, political ads are showing up on my sites. Odds are, for the next few weeks, we'll see tons of political ads across sites, mine included. Here's how online ads work in this day and age.


  • I don't pick the ads. If you see an ad that offends/bothers you, it's not "my" ad and doesn't reflect "my" viewpoint.
  • I don't even see the ads you see. The ads you see are different than the ads I see.
  • Each of us sees different ads based on what "the Internet" knows about us and what the eyeballs the advertiser is targeting.
  • If an ad is spreading false information, encouraging violence, etc, report it! The ad will likely include two small blue buttons in one corner. Click the arrow for more ad choices. Click the x to report something else.
  • I could turn off all political ads but really, I'm loathe to forgo the income.
  • It's gonna be a looooong few weeks ...




PICK ONE

Pick One is for those of us overwhelmed by life's unending choices. If that resonates, then check out this one recipe and then call it a day. It's one that I think could make the most difference, the one I hope will become a regular in your kitchen, as it is in mine.

Chicken Cider Stew, another Quick Supper ♥ KitchenParade.com, a colorful fall stew with sweet potatoes, carrots. Rave reviews. Weight Watchers friendly!

Compliments!

Fresh-Tomato Chili ♥ AVeggieVenture.com, top all your chili bowls with fresh tomatoes! Low Carb. High Protein. Weight Watchers Friendly. Slow Cooker, Oven or Stovetop.

  • "Yum, thank you for the recipe! I needed to use up some garden tomatoes and peppers. I was a little nervous about leaving the skins and seeds in the tomatoes, and using a mix of yellow, orange and red tomatoes, but it all worked out fine and was yummy. I was planning to throw in some butternut squash but forgot. I loved the smokiness of the chipotle powder!" ~ Anonymous
  • THE RECIPE Fresh-Tomato Chili

Cook. Eat. Repeat.

Here's my appeal for mealtime minimalism, the idea that you don't have to think up a new breakfast or a new lunch every day. It's a way to think less about food rather than more. It's maintains that the ritual of healthy satisfying staples can fill you up in a way that the new and the novel cannot.


How to Cook Brown Rice on the Stove ♥ AVeggieVenture.com, moist and nutty and perfect every time.

Back-Pocket Recipe

We all keep certain recipes in our virtual back pockets, right? We might not need them right this minute but recognize their usefulness in our recipe repertoires.


In seven months, we've done carryout exactly twice, first for my husband's birthday and then again a week later. Both times, I was shocked. Even a relatively simple order cost the equivalent of a week's worth of groceries!

So we've taken to splurging every so often, cooking a simple but special meal at home, some times fish, some times steaks, once lobster! for my birthday, some times ... lamb chops, one of my very favorite foods of all time.


Perfect Lamb Chops ♥ KitchenParade.com, how to cook lamb chops perfectly each and every time.
  • THE RECIPE Perfect Lamb Chops How to cook lamb chops perfectly each and every time.
  • ANOTHER TAKE Frozen Steaks Perfectly cooked steaks, starting with frozen meat!

Comfort Food

Lord knows, we can use a little relief right now. So much on the line. Such rancor and division. So much uncertainty. We've been turning to comfort food (hello, pasta ...) without a total Christmas-cookie-style breakdown.

Mac n Chicken, just your best Mac n Cheese with chicken, with protein ♥ KitchenParade.com. One-Pot Comfort Food. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Long-Time Family Favorite. High Protein. Great for Meal Prep. Recipe, insider tips, nutrition and Weight Watchers points included.

Is Your Mammogram Up to Date? Mine Wasn't.

A year ago this week, I was dealing with lingering effects of breast cancer treatment. I shared the news with all of you. Wow, such an outpouring of love and support: I remain touched and grateful.

But some of you also realized your own mammograms, like mine, were out of date and promised to rectify that. Have you? Really, HAVE YOU?

Is your mammogram up-to-date???

And if yours is, what about your daughters'? Your best friends'? Your sisters' and nieces'? Your neighbor's? Your co-workers?

Check in, won't you, please, with everyone you can think of? I got a long overdue mammogram only because a longtime friend made me promise.


BACK STORY Survivor Soup (Beet, Potato & Cauliflower Soup)

And Now, That Dried Bean Public Service Announcement

One Quick Tip: Why Dried Beans Won't Cook ♥ KitchenParade.com, the reason why dried beans some times won't cook, how to avoid it.

Who's actually depleted that stock of dried beans we bought last spring? Time's running out ...

This is the time of year when I usually toss out all the beans in the house because odds are good, they are o-l-d and won't cook.

But so far? I'm still having luck with the beans I purchased last spring and labeled as purchased last spring so there's no confusing them with beans bought a year ago.

THE REASON Why Dried Beans Won't Cook


How to Cook Dried Beans from Scratch Mexican-Style in a Slow Cooker ♥ KitchenParade.com, easy, healthy and delicious.

Something for the Steaming Soup Pot

Hamburger Soup ♥ KitchenParade.com, a hearty meat and vegetable soup, easy comfort food.
  • THE RECIPE Hamburger Soup A hearty soup with chunks of meat and a cornucopia of bright-colored vegetables.
  • ANOTHER TAKE My Chicken Noodle Soup The way I make it, meaty and noodle-y with just a few noodles.

Something Sweet

Molasses Cookies ♥ KitchenParade.com, my favorite recipe for classic molasses cookies, make them soft, chewy or crisp, your choice.

What's New?!

How to Make a Meal with What You Have ♥ KitchenParade.com, what's in the fridge, freezer and pantry.

Sweet Pepper Pasta Skillet, another Quick Supper ♥ KitchenParade.com, three colors of bell pepper plus corn, peas and fresh basil. Easy Weeknight Dinner. Budget Friendly.

Soft Sandwich Rolls (NOLA-Style French Rolls) ♥ KitchenParade.com, soft insides with crispy crust perfect for sandwiches of all shapes and sizes, even from the same batch.

Chicken Salad for Sandwiches ♥ KitchenParade.com, simple, fresh, useful. WW Friendly. High Protein.

DIY Spice Blends & Homemade Seasonings ♥ KitchenParade.com, made to order, mixed to taste.

Just Updated!

Pork & Poblano Skillet ♥ KitchenParade.com, a quick supper recipe, pork braised with roasted poblano pepper.

Simple Lentil Salad with Seasonal Vegetables ♥ KitchenParade.com, a concept recipe, a supper salad that starts with meaty lentils and whatever vegetables are on hand or appeal.

How to Make Swedish Rye Bread in a Bread Machine or By Hand ♥ KitchenParade.com, the traditional recipe, slightly sweet, bright with orange, anise and caraway. Recipes, many insider tips, nutrition and Weight Watchers points included.

Oaxaca Tlayuda (Mexican Flat Tacos) ♥ KitchenParade.com, easy, healthy build-your-own crispy baked tortillas.

Quinoa Salad with Tomato-Balsamic Vinaigrette, another hearty, adaptable salad ♥ AVeggieVenture.com.

Simple Swiss Chard, another simple vegetable recipe ♥ AVeggieVenture.com. Low Carb. WW Friendly. Vegan. Gluten Free.

Text Me Back!

I'd love to hear from you. Comment, send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com, dot-dash in Morse code, build a fire for smoke signals, launch a message in a bottle, send a Christmas letter, get the dog to yip, toss me a note wrapped in a rubberband, write a message in the sky, scratch a note in the sand, listen to a seashell, whatever.


Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

© Copyright Kitchen Parade
2020

Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

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