The Meaning of Comfort Food... Right Here

If you're looking for a guilt-free dessert, you won't find it here. But this all-natural homemade treat is something that I consider more than deserving of a place at a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner table.

BRAD' S PUMPKIN-SPICED GINGERBREAD

BREAD: 1 1/4 cups brown sugar; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 1/2 cup water; 2 eggs; 1/2 can pumpkin purée (NOT pie filling); tsp each of ginger, cloves, cinnamon and all spice; 1 3/4 cup unbleached white flour; tbsp Brandy; tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp baking powder; pinch of salt
SPICED WHIP CREAM: 1/2 cup heavy 35% cream; 1/4 tsp vanilla; 1/4 cup fine sugar; tsp Brandy; 1/2 tsp each of cinnamon, ginger, cloves and all spice.

Preheat 350. In a bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Then beat wet ingredients with a whisk and fold to combine with dry. Pour into a greased and floured bread pan and bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
While you're waiting, whip the cream on high speed, gradually adding sugar and add vanilla, Brandy and spices at the last few seconds, until stiff peaks form.

Tip bread out of the pan and let the bread cool for about 10 minutes. Slice and top with whip cream.

Did I Say Comfort Food?

Oh baby! I need a moment.... okay.

This is so good, and soooo easy.

BRAD'S LEFT-OVER CHICKEN DINNER POT PIE

2-3 cups left over root vegetables; 2-3 cups left over chicken, cubed; package of puff pastry or pre-made pie crust; melted butter; can cream of chicken soup (undiluted) or a cup of left-over gravy; 1/3 cup milk; few handfuls green peas (fresh or frozen); fresh pepper; ground thyme

Roll out a pie crust dusting with flour (if using puff pastry; otherwise lay one pit shell in a pie plate) and put one shell in a greased and floured pie plate. Preheat 400 and bake for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Pour the filling in the pie and lay the second part over the top, squeezing it around the edges to mould to the bottom shell. Brush generously with butter. Poke a few holes in the top to let out steam. Bake for about 30 minutes. If the top of your crust is not brown and crispy, pop it to 475 for about 3 or 4 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.

Guys Night - Habs Game!

Meaty, spicy, hearty - and goes great with beer... Canadian beer only!

BRAD'S SAUSAGE MEATBALL-BEAN STEW

1 lb ground spicy sausage; can chick peas; can kidney beans; can chopped tomatoes; thyme sprigs; 3-4 sliced garlic cloves; kosher salt and fresh pepper

Make meatballs out of the sausage (use breadcrumbs and egg if you wish, but it's not necessary) and pan fry in olive oil until nicely browned on all sides. Add the garlic and cook for a moment or two. Add beans and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer; cover partially and let simmer for about 12-15 minutes. Season to taste. Great with a medium or dark ale or beer or stout... and of course with crusty bread drizzled with olive oil and salt.

Classic Warmth for the Soul

Now this is my supreme comfort food... not to mention a great way to use that gorgeous homemade stock (see below).

BRAD'S PEA SOUP

4-5 cups chicken stock; 2 large new potatoes cubed; 2 parsnips chopped; 2-3 carrots chopped; about 3 cups split dry green peas; 1/2 - 3/4 lb grilling ham or left over glazed ham; kosher salt; fresh pepper; thyme sprigs; bay leaf.

This recipe takes the same base as the chicken stock and then ramps it up to a new level. This will turn out best if you soak the peas. Cover them completely in water, preferably before you leave in the morning - they'll be perfect when you get home.

Boil all the ingredients except the peas and ham in the broth (add water if necessary) for about 10 minutes and then add the peas. Simmer for about 25-30 minutes. Remove bay leaf and thyme. Purée in batches (about 3-4 ladles per batch for about 20-30 seconds medium speed). Return soup to the pot and add the ham and simmer for about 5 minutes. Season to taste.

Goes great with a Pinot Grigio and some toasted baguette drizzled with olive oil and kosher salt.

Using Every Scrap

Don't throw away those bones! When it comes to soup, there's nothing on earth better than your own stock. Quite simply, make a habit of keeping the bones from a chicken (or any other bird). That includes the legs and wings. You've never tasted stock until you've tasted your own. This is the simplest thing in the world, and best of all, not only does it taste better than store-bought, but you also get to control what goes in it - especially the sodium.

BRAD'S CLASSIC CHICKEN (POULTRY) STOCK

Chicken carcas and bones; 2-3 large carrots roughly chopped; 2 celery stocks roughly chopped; 1/2 large onion quartered; one parsnip roughly chopped; 8-10 whole peppercorns; 1-2 bay leaves; 5-6 thyme sprigs; water

Combine the carcas and bones in a large pot with the vegetables and cover with water. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer for about 3 hours. Let cool. Strain and discard the solid material. Store to make soups - refrigerate for 3 or 4 days or freeze for a few months.

The Other Side of Pizza

This is where the pizza experience gets intense. See my earlier entry on my feelings about the greatness of homemade pizza. I like to think of a dough as a canvas - go nuts. This is an experiment that received an incredible reception.

BRAD'S CHICKEN-MUSHROOM-ARTICHOKE PIZZA

DOUGH: 1 3/4 cups flour; 2 tsp quick yeast; dashes of sugar, kosher salt and garlic powder; 1/3 cup water; 1/4 cup milk; 2 tbsp olive oil

TOPPINGS: white parts of 1/3 bunch of scallions; olive oil; 10-12 mushrooms sliced; 2 sliced garlic cloves; sliced cooked chicken breast; can of artichoke hearts (drained) chopped; 1/4 cup Parmesan; kosher salt and fresh pepper; thyme sprigs

For the dough, combine dry ingredients, and then warm the wet ingredients in a cup in the microwave til luke warm (about 40 seconds), then add to the dry. Stir and then knead for about 5 minutes. Cover and let stand for about 20 minutes. Knead again for a minute and flatten onto a pizza sheet or stone and cover again for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, sauté the scallions and mushrooms in oil for a minute or two and then add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Remove from heat. Once the dough is ready (should be nicely risen), pre-heat the oven 450; brush the dough with olive oil and arrange the chicken and the sautéed mixture on top and then arrange the artichoke hearts and sprinkle with Parmesan. Drizze with a bit more oil and bake for about 12-15 minutes.