"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands........" 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Rainy Days and Comfort Food

seem to go hand in hand.................at least for me. After a hectic day of cooking at the diner, I want some kind of food that says " your home.........relax.........enjoy" and I can promise you that those foods are not hamburgers, chicken fried steaks or french fries. After a long dry spell with temperatures in the 100's +, it rained today............
I made cheese and beef enchiladas, while it thundered outside and the smell of fresh rain swept through the open windows. Soon the kitchen smelt like chili, cheese, beans, and .......................
comfort...........sigh
Sophie and I went outside after the storm had passed to enjoy the coolness and the freshness. This good size mud puddle gives me comfort to know that I do not have to water the gardens for a couple of days..............leaving me more time to stitch!


Even the gnarled old mesquite tree brightens up when the rain soaks the mosses growing on it's bark.

No matter how hot or how dry it is in West Texas, the cotton fields turn green. At this time, the plants are in bloom. It looks like there might be a good harvest this year................however, I am not a cotton farmer..............so I could be wrong.
So......................how about you? Does weather make you want to cook something special?
Is it rainy weather or snowy cold weather that gets you into the kitchen?
What do you like to come home and make after a long day's work?
I would love to hear!



18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Kathleen, So glad you had some cooling rain. Your dinner looks delicious. The thought of smelling the rain thru open windows and the delicious aromas from your oven have my mouth watering! I like to bake on rainy/cold days. I have a big kitchen window and I can watch the rain as I cook. I am happy that you and Sophie got to walk when it cleared and glad you won't have to water for a few days.

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

I know what you mean, Kathleen, there is just no place like home and no food like home food. And different foods are comforting at different times, aren't they. Your enchilidas look yummy!

Gingerbreadshouse7 said...

Hey Kathleen, I'm glad you enjoyed home you deserve it.. the food looks delicious and I wish I had my feet under your table to help the family enjoy it....
Nothing is better than after a nice cooling rain...enjoy the time off.Ginny

Pam said...

Oh Kathleen, dinner looks so good!!!
I've enjoyed catching up with you this morning---your zinnias are so pretty....I missed out on planting flowers this year, but next year...!!!! Zinnias are one of my absolute favorite summer flowers.
Hope your week is wonderful-
Blessings,
Pam

Vickie said...

Hey Kathleen - missed ya while I was gone! Glad you got some rain. We're still wishin' around here. It's hot, humid and crispy and the army worms have attacked! EEEEk!

I LOVE enchiladas, too. My whole family does as well. When it gets rainy and yucky we head to our favorite Mexican food place. But when I can be home and cook I love to stew up a batch of homemade chicken and dumplings to chase the chill and damp away!

Summer is so busy and hot, I find that I don't cook as much - we have alot of salads and vegetables and sandwiches. It's filling, but not as comforting as our cool season foods is it?

Enjoy your enchiladas! Wish I had some!

Stickhorsecowgirls said...

I do love Mexican food - absoutely my favorite!!!
When autumn arrives with cool fresh breezes, I love to cook up a hearty root vegetable stew or soup with a little venison (my hubby hunts)! I prefer tomato based homemade soup, but my hubby likes brown gravy based stew best). A little cornbread to serve with it or a crusy bread and it makes a comforting meal!

grammy said...

That looks great
I really don't like to cook that much
makes me sound terrible
I do cook....just not my favorite thing (o:
last night i was tired and hot and tired...
but managed to make a taco salad (o:

Grammyof13 said...

I haven't forgot you, My life has been hectic. I will tell you this I have a contract with a publisher to have my book published. I have not signed it as yet, I am waiting for an attorney to look it over.

Love the pictures of the land surrounding your little piece of the earth. I envision you and sophie walking and you with your camera ready for whatever your eyes see.

Blessings & hugs,
Doris

DayPhoto said...

I love enchalidas... I grew up on that sort of comfort food!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com

Connie said...

Hello Kathleen! Rain can be so refreshing. Lovely post. Your dish looks delicious. What do I like to make after a long day of work? Reservations at my favorite restaurant, that's what. HA HA HA! We very rarely do that though. ;)

Flower said...

Yes, the weather drives my meal planning! While you are having rain we are looking at high 90's and over for the next few days. Hummus was on the plan for today. I can eat it cold with carrots, cucumbers and peas.
The enchiladas look great....the smell almost reaches through the computer!

KathyB. said...

That dish looks so yummy ! I can imagine the scent of fresh rain on your hot land...a very sweet smell to me.

I like to cook and bake in the fall, and especially any rainy day. Most summer days are too hot for me, even in the Pacific Northwest, to feel like cooking anything requiring a lot of stove time. Salads and light meals for us until later next month.

Jody Blue said...

I love winter so for me its a pig pot of soup, stew or chili with a good crusty bread that gives me that its good to be home feeling.

Unknown said...

G'day Kathleen ~ We FINALLY got some good rain here after a 7 week record breaking dry spell heat wave ... I love the puddles. Altho, the high winds of 65+mph took its toll on our florals.

I love to cook on cool days ... casseroles, etc., where the house fills with awesome enticing aromas.
LOVE Mexican inspired foods ... do you have any leftovers>? :)

TTFN ~ have a wonderful summer weekend ~
Hugs, Marydon

ladydi said...

I do love to bake bread and make potato soup in the winter. Mmmm. In the summer I come home and have a big dish of watermelon - it's too hot to heat up the kitchen.

Brenda Kay Ledford said...

Kathleen,
I'm so glad you got rain down there in Texas. We got a storm and rain yesterday. Our gardens sure needed the rain. It was drying up here.
Your cheese and beef enchiladas look so good. I just love to eat comfort food on a rainy day.
Have a wonderful, relaxing weekend.

Jane Smith said...

You made me hungry. :D

When the weather is cold or cloudy, I love a big pot of stew.

limpingalong said...

Cold, rainy weather makes me want to make soup. Actually, I like soup anytime, but it is better in cold or cool, wet weather. Chicken and Dumplings are another comfort food during cool/cold weather. I think I'll try your cornbread recipe!