Comfort Food

Yesterday, I felt accomplishment. I made Sloppy Joes, oven fries and green beans. Sounds pretty normal right? I realized yesterday that I worry more about making the normal stuff for supper than trying a new unique recipe. It just isn’t me. Then, I remembered a conversation I had with a co-worker last week about how we cook. I had mentioned to her that I rarely attempt Italian with Jim since I doubt I will ever come close to his Italian mom’s cooking. I wonder if I worry and fret more about the regular stuff because comfort food is supposed to be comforting and if it doesn’t measure up then it won’t fit the bill. Its why, though I can make tomato soup, I want campbell’s when I am sick. Its why, though I make a mean mac and cheese, Jim wants Velveeta boxed stuff. Comfort food is to be the normal not different, not exciting, just warm and comforting.

So, that all to say, when I do the normal and it turns out normal – I am more excited than when I normally cook. Jim often looks longingly at the manwich can at the grocery store and I just won’t let it in the cart no matter what. I found this recipe and it went well – I like it better than the not-so-sloppy joes that Betsy and I made from her cool cookbook for kids.

16 oz. 96% ground beef (I used ground sirloin, it was on sale)
1 cup diet coke
10 tbsp heinz one carb reduced sugar ketchup
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp dry mustard
Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain beef and add back to skillet. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Cook on low for 30 minutes uncovered so sauce can thicken. This is about 4 servings. This is a sparkpeople.com recipe.
The bun was a bit different, they were Arnold’s sandwich thins. I highly recommend them.

Tonight, I made a more Krista recipe, I served with coucous.

Pork with Pineapple Stew
12 oz. boneless pork loin
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small chili pepper, seeded and minced
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 can (8 oz.) sliced pineapple in juice
1 large tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

1. Trim all visible fat from meat. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Toss with flour to coat.
2. Generously coat deep, medium skillet with cooking spray. Set over medium-high heat. Brown meat, turning it to color on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer meat to plate.
3. Heat oil in pan. Saute onion, green pepper, garlic and chili pepper until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Return meat to pan. Add 1 cup water, Worcestershire sauce, ginger, salt and pepper. Drain liquid from pineapple into pan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
4. Stack pineapple slices and cut into 8 sections. Add fruit, tomato and cucumber to stew. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. This stew keeps 2 to 3 days, covered, in the refrigerator.
Makes 4 servings. This is also sparkpeople.com