Rainy Day Comfort Foods



It's nice and rainy today. I can't complain, I wanted warmer weather (it was about 41, but much cooler now), but I guess I can't have it warm and dry. After running errands, I came home to make some cream of broccoli soup and then decided to make those chocolate cupcakes that have been haunting me for weeks now. That, and I got a bit tired of organizing papers and cleaning. There's nothing better on nice rainy chilly day than a warm oven and smells of chocolate wafting through your home. And to the delight of my neighbors, when they come home from a hard day's work, they will smell the chocolatey goodness and smile.

The cream of broccoli soup is something I've made for years. I found some nice looking broccoli crowns at the store yesterday and since I hadn't made the soup in a while, figured I deserved a treat. I use the real stuff too; heavy cream. I'm ashamed to say, though, that when I'd started sauteing the onions, I discovered that my beloved garlic was past its prime. Not a lot of sweet garlic oil left, so I had to improvise with powdered garlic. I'm so ashamed. I haven't cooked in so long. It used to be I never ran out of the stuff. The pieces I chopped only added a garlic "look" I guess you could say. It was nice and creamy, filling. The broccoli was perfectly blanched; the crisp green color invigorated me. I had two (small) bowls.

The cupcakes are a basic chocolate sponge cake recipe I got from my school days and to the Italian buttercream recipe I added some white chocolate. I ate one cupcake almost right out of the oven, and then another just after frosting them. I was young again for a few minutes. I'm definitely cutting back next week. I've already told one of the line cooks no more mac & cheese for 2 weeks (I don't think I could go a month without it).

I suppose now I should clean up this place a bit if for no other reason than to burn some calories. I'll probably end up on the couch watching a movie or something. Let's just hope I don't make a pan of brownies. I've been dreaming of making some this past week.

Comments

jasmine said…
I love that top picture with all the clouds of white!

j
9:20 PM
Erin said…
Thanks, I call them little clouds of happiness. They are deceptively light. I had to take the rest to work and give them away.
8:53 PM
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