Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Comfort Food

When the weather turns cold, we crave foods that stick to our bones and bring warmth and satisfaction to our bodies.....
I made a hearty homemade beef stew today, chocked full of vegetables, with an aromatic tomato base, and spices.
It's a Southern recipe, easy, and delicious.


Always best accompanied by a skillet of buttermilk cornbread, or it just wouldn't be fitting.


Nothing fancy, just basic:

Beef and Vegetable Stew.
I use stewing beef ( or cut up steak )
A Large onion
Two ribs of celery
Cut up potatoes
Cut up carrots
A large can of whole peeled tomatoes chopped up in bite sized pieces
Can of chili beans with the sauce
Can of green beans
Can of peas
Can of corn if I have it.
Chili powder
Bay leaves (2)
Garlic powder
Parsley leaves ( or dried )
Most anything you like to throw in the pot....sometimes I add cabbage.

Southern CornBread
1 1/3 cups of buttermilk or milk
1/3 cup of vegetable oil or solid shortening (melt if solid shortening)
2 cups of buttermilk cornmeal mix
1teaspoon of sugar (optional)
1 ounce of melted butter
1 egg

Oven temp 450 degrees

Place a cast iron skillet, or cake pan with a small amount of shortening inside the oven until the shortening melts and pan is hot.
Add mixture, bake for 15 / 20 minutes until golden brown.



27 comments:

Martha said...

This looks really good -- there is nothing like a good stew.

DJan said...

I think I can smell it from here. I can certainly feel the wonderful homey food going into my virtual tummy!

George said...

Both of these look absolutely delicious and perfect for today.

Wayfarin' Stranger said...

Yum!

MadSnapper said...

bring on the comfort of cornbread, I am a bread addict.. the soup sounds and looks delish. I make mine like this, but no chili beans or chili powder. i make it like mother made it.

Christine said...

I'd love a bowl of that stew right now for breakfast! LOL! I hope you saved me some Jo!

Country Gal said...

Oh that looks soo good ! Thanks for sharing ! I like making stick to your ribs comfort food when its cold out ! Have a wonderful day !

Unknown said...

COMFORT food feast!! No other way to make cornbread than in a cast iron skillet. I always use my grandma's -- I treasure it and cornbread wouldn't taste the same without it :)

Blessings!
Gail

Anonymous said...

This country girl is craving some cornbread...and maybe some vegetable soup (since I rarely eat meat)! Yours look scrumptious! It'll have to get just a little bit cooler here in west/central Florida!

Anonymous said...

JO, I also love to have corn muffins with soups. We truly love soups on cold winter days. Smiles, Susie

Terry said...

That's exactly the type of food I crave this time of year.

Swamp Dog said...

I hate to tell you this, but if you put sugar in cornbread it is not Southern cooking. That is a Yankee recipe frowned upon by real Southerners. But it's OK, we will let you stay here with us, we'll just have to keep you straight.HA!

A Brit in Tennessee said...

Swamp Dog:
Thank you for your enlightenment, I've made cornbread with or without the sugar, just depending on who's recipe I was using.

Yep, I'm a transplant but doing my best !
~Jo

Janice Kay Schaub said...

I think I will try that stew. Was looking for something to do for tomorrow and that looks like just the ticket. I wonder what it would be like with chicken? (not doing chicken still recovering from turkey)but I bet it would be good.
Janice

Jeannie said...

It looks wonderful! I love your blog and have been looking at it for some time. Carry on!

Ann Summerville said...

Looks delicious. You have the most beautiful and restful pictures on your blog. What a delight to hop on over every now and again.
Ann

Shine said...

Yummy! OK...tomorrow, I will be staying home and I do believe this will be on the menu. Thanks for visiting my place...always feel relaxed and refreshed after stopping by here:) Blessings~~Shine

Betsy Brock said...

yum...we have homemade soup a lot. It's so easy and so good!

I need a cast iron skillet!

Nick said...

Damn it, you're making me hungry - and it's only 10.50 a.m.

Unknown said...

Home made vegetable soup or the stew and corn bread, no better way to fend off the chill of fall.

Mary said...

I agree with Swampdog...I think the expression is..we put sugar in our iced tea not in our cornbread...or so I have been told.

Janice Kay Schaub said...

I did make the stew and it was wonderful. Thank you
Janice

CLICK CLICK... said...

I am running for the kitchen already!

The Tablescaper said...

Oh man, this looks good.

- The Tablescaper

Mary Lou said...

Exactly what we need!

Michael said...

yum, that looks amazing. I need to make this. so good. I can almost smell it.

JohnF said...

Had to borrow your cornbread recipe and share it.
Thanks.