By Eve Victory
Rainy days and Mondays don’t have to get you down.
I hope you are as excited as I am for the lush rebirth of Spring; but we know that means lots of rainy days ahead. Let’s make them a lot less blue with the comfort foods we know and love.
First, we can get our soups on. This is the perfect month for warm and comforting fare from southern standards like chicken and dumplings to cultural pleasers like Italian wedding soup. Be sure to break out that crockpot! There are some really tried and true delicious soup recipes for slow cookers– even French onion, which is one of my favorites.
Soups go wonderfully with grilled sandwiches or paninis. Don’t have a panini maker? Do what I do: put your sandwiches in a pan, top them with another pan containing two or three canned goods, and voila! Pressed sandwich!
Next, think casseroles. Everyone makes them for potlucks, but there are all sorts of things in your pantry just aching to be combined. Traditional mac ‘n cheese is always inviting and satisfying; but try something new like classic Shepherd’s pie. (Don’t forget that casseroles are also a great way to use up leftovers.)
Last but not least, warm desserts are always a welcome treat when the weather gets gray. Warm up that fudge sauce for ice cream, or whip up some chocolate fondue for strawberries and shortbread cookies.
The weather can’t bring you down if your family is inside with warm and comforting favorites. See you in the Spring!
A native New Yorker, Eve Victory has called Hot Springs home since 2003. Working for years as an event and tradeshow planner and personal chef, Eve is currently the Hospitality and Tourism Instructor at National Park College. For information on how to turn your education into a career in the second largest industry in Hot Springs, contact Eve at evictory@np.edu.
