Post-Ike comfort food cravings

[brucesw]

Stressful times like these evoke a yearning for comfort food. Clearing the landscaping is about half done, the freezer is empty, grocery store meat and frozen food cases mostly so... I want a good hearty beef stew or something similar - carne guisada, caldo de res, etc., maybe something with meat, chicken and sausage the way I like to make it.

I hardly ever order these out since I like to make my own. Any recs?

[PopsicleToze]

I hope things are getting better for you. Ike was a horrible storm. The whole country has been hurting with you.

The food situation is tough. People have a hard time comprehending grocery stores (what few are open) closing before dark, restaurants closed, etc. On the good side for you, you will be coming up with very creative things to eat.

My recommendation would be any comfort food that envokes memories of growing up and being comforted by your mom. For me -- that would be chicken-n-dumplings made with a big fat hen.

[MarkinHouston]

If you want to go out, and comfort food is the goal, I would try Cleburne Cafeteria. They have many "comfort food" options, huge dessert servings, and pretty decent pricing for the quality. IF it isn't too far to drive, Barbecue Inn at Crosstimbers and Yale has good fried shrimp, chicken and barbecue in decidedly retro surroundings.

[JimH]

Still without power? My sister finally got back on the grid yesterday, I offered her my box fan but she didn't want it.

Red Beans & Rice, Seafood Gumbo, Chili.

[brucesw]

Thanks for the recs. Yeah, I was looking for some place to go. Too much time spent trying to charcoal on a makeshift hibachi last week and shortage of groceries now. Stores are probably a little better stocked now than a couple of days ago but I'm just not into cooking right now - I want to get out.

Today's comfort food was a Whataburger with cheese and jalapenos; tonight I really craved enchiladas.

I've had power for several days but the grocery store nearest me still hasn't opened and the others were poorly stocked for any kind of meat except frozen chicken.

Edited September 25, 2008 by brucesw (log)

[JimH]

Popeye's red bean & rice. I've been dipping into my store of frozen vac-packed BBQ this week. It's not cool enough yet to turn on the oven and I've been getting home too late to grill. Subway has been the go-to outlet for meals. I visited Suya Hut before the storm, it was good and worth going back for more.

[brucesw]

Tried another grocery today - amazing how little beef there was for sale: some bacon wrapped filets and briskets was about it. Besides CenterPoint, the beef industry seems to have been under-prepared to make a quick recovery from Hurricane Ike.

I made some chili with frozen ground turkey, chopped up smoked sausage that survived in an ice chest, a can of pintos and Williams chili mix - actually, not bad. Hadn't thought about making chili after throwing out numerous containers last week.

[jess mebane]

I hope y'all are climbing back towards whatever passes for normal these days. After a peripatetic life as hi-tech migrant workers, we've recently settled about 1 hr west of Houston, and I still can't get over how much H-town has grown in the interim.

In the two weeks since Ike, lots of folks in our HEB parking lot are still making grocery runs to take back to Harris County....I wish you better and better days ahead.

[danhole]

I still don't have a thing in my fridge or freezer, except for some cheese I salvaged, powerade, and bottled water. We didn't get our power until Mon. the 29th. Amazingly Pierson's was open the Tuesday after the storm. He didn't have the entire menu but we took what we could get, and were darn happy to have some hot food! This area was really slow to get back on it's feet.

[brucesw]

I still don't have a thing in my fridge or freezer, except for some cheese I salvaged, powerade, and bottled water. We didn't get our power until Mon. the 29th. Amazingly Pierson's was open the Tuesday after the storm. He didn't have the entire menu but we took what we could get, and were darn happy to have some hot food! This area was really slow to get back on it's feet.

←

I may not stock my freezer until after hurricane season! I'm tired of throwing out food. One of the upsides of Ike was a much needed cleaning out of my fridge and freezer; I found some pasta sauce in the bottom of the freezer dated 1991. I'm thinking about downsizing my freezer so I won't have so much to throw out next time and I'll definitely have a gas cook top when I remodel the kitchen.

Edited October 2, 2008 by brucesw (log)

[brucesw]

Popeye's red bean & rice.  I've been dipping into my store of frozen vac-packed BBQ this week.  It's not cool enough yet to turn on the oven and I've been getting home too late to grill.  Subway has been the go-to outlet for meals.  I visited Suya Hut before the storm, it was good and worth going back for more.

←

I've been back to Suya Hut a couple of times (before the storm); best things are still the chicken suya and waina or masa, the fermented rice cake, which they haven't had the last 2 times I was there. I tried the shrimp suya, very small shrimp, coated with the groundnut paste; much spicier than anything I've had there but not very good otherwise.

On another visit I wanted to try the Pepper Fish Soup with tilapia. I was warned it would take about 15 minutes but it took 35. I think they either had to go out to buy the tilapia or the spices for it. Thick tilapia steaks (very bony) in a very spicy broth and that was it. Not worth the wait so I decided to try to find the spices so I could do it at home which led me to investigate African grocery stores; I've posted about that in the Ethnic groceries thread.

I took the left over broth from the soup home and used it with some reheated rice and to simmer some greens - very tasty. I like fish soups/stews; mine are usually Creole/Cajun influenced and this was a nice change but there were a lot of bones.

Edited October 2, 2008 by brucesw (log)