Comfort food, isn't it great?

So the other day about a week ago, I was having a hard time of it. Just a rough day, I don't remember all of it, but my Great Aunt had passed away, and that was enough to make me want to feel comforted, and as an over weight woman in America I have learned to do that with food. It is a shame that is something we turn to, but I guess you can say it could be something worse.  But at the same time, being overweight has killed millions and millions of people, so not much else is worse really. That is one of the reason I started this blog, to get away from turning to food as a crutch, also to track my becoming a better person. A healthier person, both physically and emotionally.

But on this day, I didn't care, I wanted to feel full and warm, and not have a care in the world about it.  So I turned to a dish that I love for its creaminess.  I saw a version of it made on a cooking show, but I think I have  changed it up enough to write it up on here.

 1/2 half pound bow tie pasta cooked and drained, in the same pan with the noodles, add frozen peas and carrots about a cup and a half, actually to the water before you start to drain the pasta, so it defrost the veggies. With the pasta and veggies,  add 4 TBS of butter, and a half of cube of cream cheese. Leave the burner on med low, to melt the cheese, add diced ham about 3/4 of a cup, and 3/4 cup of sour cream, 3 diced scallions, salt and paper to taste, along with garlic powder about a teaspoon. mix together. Top with parmesan cheese and serve warm.

You could add what ever meat you had leftover, turkey, chicken, pork, what ever you have on hand that is precooked. Also you can change the veggies like maybe mushrooms, maybe add red onions or peppers.  If you want a deeper cheese flavor some really good ones would be muenster or havarti, either would be good. Or heck, good old cheese from a jar would work, you know that processed cheese food product you find on the shelf, not in the dairy aisle.  If you are the type that needs a bit of a crunch, you can always top with chow mien noodles, or crushed croutons. What is good about comfort food is that you can make it completely your own. Think about it, what comfort food doesn't taste better with either more cheese, or topped with bacon, or drizzled with chocolate?

My sons sometimes like this, depending on their mood that day.  But I can say for a while it helped my mood, made me feel safe. But I did make sure I got on the treadmill the next day.  And to be honest, that worked so much better, because it didn't come with a side of guilt, like too much comfort food can.