Cozy Comforts
Lingering that little bit longer in bed before peeling off the blankets, encasing your toes in wooly socks and languidly wriggling them to life, cupping your mug of tea that little bit tighter and bringing it to your chest, nestling into the shoulder of a loved one on the couch... this warming behaviour has been happily warranted of late. Cozy comforts. It's nice. You might like to reach far into the back corner of you wardrobe and find your favourite, aged, ever soft jumper that's been tucked away these past vibrant months. You're going to need it.
You're also going to need soup or stews. Or both. And bread. What's that I hear you say? It's too cold to go out to the shops for bread? I agree. So let's just make our own, shall we? It's easier than you'd think (no yeast required). Both making and eating this bread are equally nourishing activities. The same goes for soup or stews.
Katie Quinn Davies' recipe for Irish Seeded Brown Bread is pure wholesome comfort. You can find it in the April 2012 Delicious Magazine. Or alternatively, try this recipe (link) which is fairly similar. Katie's doesn't use a sweetener, though. Nor quite so much wheat germ. And it has seeds. Lots of seeds. The seeds are good. You wouldn't think it but seeds are cozy comforts, especially when toasted. Here is another similar recipe that would do the job (link). Either way just get in there and make some Irish Brown Soda Bread.
And then you can eat it with Chicken Cacciatore, my go to, easy comfort food (recipe link).
Or maybe with Mushroom and Parsnip Soup (next time I'll write the recipe down, I promise).
And then the next day you can have leftover bread, warmed in the microwave and then toasted in the oven for breakfast. Spread with nut butter and jam. Maybe with some yoghurt and berries on the side. Yeah, that'd be great.
Cozy comforts.