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Since it's pouring here in MD too, I'm going to make a big pot of chicken noodle soup.

Well, I guess that means it will be pouring here in Boston pretty soon. I pulled a nice, meaty ham bone out of the freezer and I'm making a big pot of white bean soup.

Lucky you! It's been snowing with strong wind gusts since 11:30 a.m. yesterday. We're forecasted to get 11-13" of snow (16" for people living along the snow belt) by the end of the system. Wait, that means it's potentially headed to you guys! The forecast even says "freezing fog."

I like going out during storms and watching the blustery weather whip around through a large window, eating a warm bowl of pho...which is what we did yesterday. The ex-bf was able to make a great pho broth, but we've struggled a little, so no pho for me at home just yet.

At home, I love making soup and beef stew. It brings back memories of coming home from school during a rainstorm. My mother would wait at the bus stop* with an umbrella so I wouldn't get wet coming off the bus, and we'd walk home (pretty much across the street). Ahh, entering the house with the lovely warm aroma of beef stew.

* In Honolulu, at least when I grew up, there was no school busing at any age with the exception of special needs children. Students used public transportation if they didn't walk, have their own cars, or get dropped off. I used to walk to school a lot since I enjoyed walking. Not sure if things have changed since then.

My husband calls my soups, "stew," since they're kind of like everything but the kitchen sink. I wish my soup could be a spur of the moment thing, but we have to go out shopping to make it. Color is very important to me, so the ingredients may vary depending on the season/availability. It typically has barley and/or orzo, mushrooms, 1/4 lb of ground beef, zucchini, some broccoli, bell pepper, celery, yellow squash, corn, yellow pepper, carrots, tomatoes, red pepper, kidney beans, and a smattering of herbs. Before serving, I add asparagus and spinach so they don't get overcooked.

@Cassaendra.........you used that four letter word that strikes terror in my heart. We got off so easy this winter and I'm so grateful. My heart truly goes out to you. Freezing fog? How in this wide world did you end up there from Hawaii? Better not tell me, I'd cry all day. Kitchen sink soup is the best and yours sounds divine. Stay cozy and warm.

Green chile stew or posole is my ultimate comfort food. I love the aroma when it's slowing cooking. Now, if I could find a soppapilla in San Francisco, I'd be all set.

Beautiful spring-like day here... warm, sunny...

Nevertheless, I've already made cookies, chili and chicken pot pie this week. Perfect stormy weather comforts.

My stormy day comfort foods are "Ole fashioned southern hash" or "Ham/Keilbasa stew".Both are great even on a not so bad day.

Soups or stews make me happy when its miserable out. Stews are good when I want to toss everything into a pot and just toss it in the oven or crockpot, or let it simmer on the stove.

Soups are better when I want to putter around in the kitchen all day. Or two days, if I make stock the day before. When I make soup, I can spend the day chopping veggies and adding them to the soup so that the long-cooking ones go in first, then the next and the next...

It's so icky here right now. Spurred on by the St. Patty's thread, I made colcannan for the first time, which seemed perfect for such gloominess. It was awesome. I guess, you know, how could it be bad since it's mashed potatoes, kale, milk and butter, right? What was kind of weird for me was the potatoes themselves. I pretty much view mashed potatoes as a vehicle for gravy, which I think would be kinda awful with this. So more butter! Just delicious, and a new regular entry in the chisai food catalogue.

My husband is out of town and the snow is blowing like crazy here, and I just made a bunch of roasted sliced sweet potatoes and had that for dinner, dipped in mayo mixed with chipotle and ancho powder. Very warming.

Hot chocolate, cinnamon toast, popcorn, warm apple crisp, french toast, grilled peanut butter & honey sandwiches...are just a few of my favorites:)

@frederika....sure! I make them every Sunday in the winter. I will give you the homemade rec that I use but in a pinch or when I am feeling ultra lazy, I will give you the half ass version too...

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar , lightly packed
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups buttermilk ...room temp is good
1/2 cup milk ...room temp is good
3 eggs ....room temp is good
1/3 cup butter, melted
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger...have used fresh grated...ICK! Too fiberous.

Mix up all the wet. Mix up all the dry. Mix to combine. Let stand 5 minutes. Spoon onto hot griddle and watch em' disappear!

***Half ass version***

I buy the pancake mix that has to have milk, eggs and oil NOT the just add water kind. I usually sub the buttermilk for milk and melted butter for oil. I also add the brown sugar, cinnamon and ginger. Mix as directed and those will disappear just as fast. I usually feel guilty about half assing it so I warm my crock pot apple butter and spread over the hot cakes!

I'm in NJ, and yesterday was yucky! So I whipped up a batch of snickerdoodles. I bake all the time, but had never made them before. I guess they are now my go to activity on a rainy day.

@Chelley - Those pancakes sound fab-o!!!! (sorry, that sounded a little RR, didn't it?) When I can manage to get a sort of sweet breakfast into my husband instead of his usual savory, it is almost always pancakes because that is what I crave. If I have leftover challah or french bread around the holidays, he does enjoy eggnog french toast. I don't have a great waffle maker, so that is not an option. It sounds like a large batch. How many does it make? When I was growing up, we had breakfast for dinner often. Pancakes, crepes, french toast; I really miss that.

Half-Assin' the pancake recipe is not such a bad thing. I do that when I have an over-ripe banana. Mashed banana, wheat germ and a splash of vanilla added to the mix makes some kick-ass cakes. I just haven't had any mix in the pantry for a really long time.

Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!!! I'm going to make them next weekend.

My husband's chili. Big hunks of beef. Spicy and thick.

Throw a few Fritos in a bowl. Grated cheddar on top of the Fritos. Then ladle on the chili. Maybe a little minced onion on top.

Grown-up Frito Pie.

Yum.

@ frederika...I will not tell a lie. It makes a crapload. However, they freeze beautifully and can be nuked, toastered or warmed in a skillet! I also forgot that every once in awhile, when I really love Jake, I will warm some good maple syrup with a cinnamon stick and some fresh slices of ginger and a little hit of good vanilla. I sautee granny smith apples in butter with a pinch of good salt and brown sugar til caramelized and then add in the steeped syrup! Yeah, I get some love for that!

@ mepolo...I would give a kidney for a Red Robin near us. (Save the public flogging, everyone). Our closest one is an hour away. Sigh.

I just watched a giant Bob Cat come and tow the SNOW PLOW out of my cul de sac! LOL! This has been a great weekend!

@Pumpkin... them's fightin' words around here... you may have noticed that several of us (including me) are somewhat rabid about soup...

So. Any particular combo of ingredients? Does he make it a certain way everytime? Or is one of those things that just comes together with what's on hand? I had a boyfriend who made me sopita all the time. He had a couple of standard versions, but then there were the "surprise" versions.

You are obligated to share some details here, sweetheart. Spill it...
;-)