Page 16 Fall Home & Garden | September 2024 Lincoln Daily News What do you think of when the winds are whipping at 30 mph, and it is 20 degrees outside? For most of us, the thought of warm yummy comfort food comes to mind. And we all have our own idea of what that cozy comfort food is. Some may say ooey gooey brownies, homemade mac n’ cheese, meatloaf, buttery mashed potatoes, or hot chocolate drinks. One source of comfort food is bone warming, tummy-tingling soups, and warm breads with creamy butter. Soup and bread is an excellent way to get your family, whether secretly or not, to eat more nutritiously. When talking about soups it’s amazing to see so many varieties of something as simple as chili. Some put no beans, some have lots of beans, some use hamburger, some use steak, some like it spicy, and some do not. There is white chicken chili, Cincinnati chili, chili con carne, and even vegetarian chili. Even if you grew up with the traditional hamburger, red kidney bean chili, chances are you have eaten some chili somewhere that has something different in it. Such as peanut butter, cocoa powder, liquid smoke, date paste, cinnamon, and even fish sauce (yuck!). Winter Comfort Food SOUP & BREAD At least in Central Illinois, soup is a staple item at gatherings and fall festivals from the traditional vegetable soup that is as different as each fingerprint to chili during the cool fall nights by the campfire to squash or pumpkin soup in October. Or you could go with a lovely French onion soup with a melted layer of Swiss cheese on French bread. Some will even plan ahead and use the leftover Christmas ham for a big kettle of ham & beans for New Year’s Eve. One could get a little adventurous and make Julia Child’s favorite soup of Vichyssoise or Gordon Ramsay’s famous cauliflower soup with brown butter and cheesy toasts. Eating hearty soups not only warms the tummy but can also be a particularly good way to eat healthy and get your fill of nutrients. Soup can be really tasty, hearty, filling and healthy all at the same time without being fattening and it’s a great way to use up leftovers in the fridge or food in the pantry. Soup is primarily liquidbased, which helps to keep you hydrated during the winter months since over 40% of people do not drink enough water in the wintertime. By using lots of veggies, whether fresh, frozen, or canned, removing fat from Continue --
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