Comfort Food

The snow is “falling” sideways, the temperatures inside the house attest to what’s coming in the forecast for the outside, and I have stuffed peppers simmering on the stove. Comfort food. Such desperate times call for comfort food. Stuffed peppers, whipped potatoes and corn – direct menu handed down from my mom all those years ago. Others of her favorites, consequently our whole family’s favorites, were beef stew, meatloaf, and apple pie. Yum! I think every bit of food my mom ever made was comfort food; it sure was comforting to my sister, my brothers and me – and I shouldn’t forget my dad! Oh, how we loved dinnertime.

A dinner “time” is lacking in too many families these days. To sit down and share the day’s activities is very important, but most don’t realize just how important until it’s gone. And those who’ve never had the pleasure of sitting down with family around a table don’t know what they’ve missed. I may lament the fact that we six rarely are home at the same time anymore, but that’s the direction life has taken us. We do remember and on occasion we are all together – on the best occasions.

Tonight around the Locher table it shall probably be only three or four, but that’s better than one or two. I count my blessings these days. I think I’ll set the table with cloth napkins (how very June Cleaver-like!) and set a pretty candle in the middle. We can be the warmth in the cold as we eat and tell each other all about our days. Time to stir the peppers or they’ll burn.