Comfort food when you're sick

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
1

Well, I’m home sick from work today. (Actually, I went in for a few hours, then came home). Right now I have a BIG pot of homemade chicken soup cooking up right now, filling the house with it’s yummy goodness smell. I plan on feasting on this soup later this afternoon, reveling in it’s delicious flavor and steamy aroma.

What do YOU like to eat when you’re sick?

Zette

PS, if you don’t know how to make homemade chicken noodle soup, it’s really easy. Here’s my BASIC recipe. It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s really not.

2-3 lbs of BONE IN chicken pieces (like those thigh/leg pieces. I’m using three of those today)

In a LARGE pot, combine the following:
-10 cups of water (I make a lot)
-chicken
-onion (just cut in quarters)
-garlic (peeled and smushed with the back of a knife)
-scallions (cut into large pieces)
-bay leaves
-boullian cubes
-three stalks of celery- including leafy tops (if you have 'em) cut into thirds
-some carrots (If you got the peeled baby carrots, about 8. If you have big, unpeeled carrots, two- cut in thirds. You don’t have to peel them)

Bring this whole bunch of stuff to a boil, then simmer for a few hours (chicken is done when it is no longer pink in the middle and is at least 165 degrees). Take chicken out and cool. (you can put it in the fridge) Run broth through a collander to get all the veggies out and discard. Remove chicken from bones.

Return chicken to broth, add some sliced carrots (bite sized), sliced celery, and very finely chopped scallion tops.(green part). Bring to a boil, then cook at medium heat for about 15 minutes. Add 1tsp poultry seasoning. Simmer for a few more minutes, then serve! Salt and pepper, if desired.

IF YOU WANT NOODLES, I recommend cooking them separately, as they get all bloated and mushy if they sit in the broth long.

2

And to go with your comfort food, Lucozade, the ultimate comfort drink. I usually have about 3 bottles a day when I’m sick.

3

Mac and Cheese. I was sick a couple of weeks ago and had to drag my sorry ass to the store to buy some, then I found the microwaveable kind. nothing better when your sick.

4

popsicles, they can cure anything!

5

Yea I’ll go with chicken noodle soup anyday when I’m sick. Although all those things you mentions zette when your sick I couldn’t do. I would go with the old packages of “Lipton” chicken noodle soup. I even use hot water out of the sink so it will be ready faster so I can get back to the matinee movie on TV. :wink: I also like popsicles they are good anytime.

6

Preach the word, Brother!

Kool-aid has a new slush mix out that I make homade popsicles with. Very flavorful.

7

Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup, or Progresso if I don’t have Campbell’s.

8

When I get my semiannual sinus crud, I like to feast upon some hot and sour soup from a good chinese restaurant. Best decongestant there is!

{{{Zette}}}Wishing you a speedy recovery.
::brandishing ladle::“Now, you eat that chicken noodle soup, hear?”:wink:

9

Potatoes are my comfort food. My favorite is homemade cheese potato soup.

10

I don’t enjoy eating anything when I’m sick. I hate not being able to taste food, and I’m usually too busy being miserable to bother about food. :slight_smile: However, I find a bit of boiled rice with soy sauce will sustain me.

11

When I was a kid and would be sick with the flu or something, and had an upset stomach, I would get 7-Up from my Mom. It almost made being sick worthwhile, because we didn’t keep a lot of soda around the house. And I truly believed in its healing power because my Mom was a NURSE and didn’t SHE know what would be good for us? I still like it.

12

This is the ultimate hangover and flu / cold cure. It’s posted with other recipes over in this thread.
Sopa de Pollo con Arroz
(Chicken and Rice Soup)

**Ingredients: **

1 Whole chicken
1 Large Russet potato
2 Carrots
1 Large tomato
2 Ribs of celery (with leaves)
2 Cloves of garlic
1 Tbs. of salt (or more)
1/2 White onion (do not use red onion)
1/2 Cup of washed rice
1/4 Head of Cannonball cabbage
1/8 Cup of chopped cilantro
1/8 Tsp. of ground cumin
1/8 Tsp. of ground white pepper
Dash of Crystal hot sauce

Preparation:

Extract giblets from chicken and remove the liver. Place chicken in a pot of water just large enough to hold it. Cover with 1-2 quarts of water and add the giblets. Add salt and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam. Reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer for 2 or more hours. Chicken should fall apart after cooking. Completely bone out the cooked chicken. Separate white meat for use in the finished soup. Crack the bones and return them to the stock with the skin. Add all other non-meat parts of the chicken back to the stock. Bring stock and giblets back to a fast simmer. Cook stock for 1/2-1 hour longer. Begin washing rice. Strain stock and remove most, but not all of the fat. Peel the potato, tomato and carrots. Bring stock to a boil and reduce heat. Cut carrots into coins and add. Dice potato into 1/2" cubes and add to pot. Cut cabbage into 1" chunks and add. Chop onion coarsely and add. Press or finely mince the garlic and add. Slice celery into medium pieces and add. Peel and seed tomato and add. Strain tomato juice from seeds and add. Chop cilantro leaves and add. Chop some of the celery leaves and add. Dice chicken white meat into 1/2" chunks and add. Finish washing rice and add to soup. During last half hour of cooking add all other spices. Adjust salt to taste (this recipe can take a lot of salt. Avoid adding too much cumin, it will spoil the flavor.

DO NOT let the soup boil, it will turn to mush
DO NOT let the chicken liver cook in the soup

When the rice begins to “bloom” turn off the heat
Elbow macaroni, stars or alphabet pasta may be used
If using pasta, omit or reduce the amount of rice
If the stock is made right it will gel when chilled

This recipe cheerfully stolen from:

Mario’s La Fiesta Mexican restaurant in Berkeley, CA

13

Five-alarm chili.

If I’m congested, it’s still perceptible and can sometimes clear the sinuses.

Plus, I just like chili.

14

As bizarre as it sounds, when I get sick the only thing I ever want to eat is a cheeseburger from Burger King. I’ve been this way all my life. I know why I want this but still, most people think it’s really weird!

15

My favourite comfort food is peanut butter eaten right from a spoon…

When I am sick I don’t really eat much…

16

For me, it’s sugar. It almost always makes me feel better. Donuts, especially.

If I happen to be too nauseous(?) too eat, I go to 7-11 for the Cafe Cooler, a sugary, coffee-ice-cream like drink. Pulls me through.

17

MAcaroni and cheese.

Also potatoe chips, dip, adn pepsi.

18

Also I can’t spell too well when sick…

19

Tuna fish on multigrain toast with lettuce and a side of tomato soup.

The mom special.

20

Gotta agree with Wildest Bill on the Liptons Chicken Noodle thing. I keep some in the pantry at all times. I know it’s nothing like home made chicken soup, but what can I say?

Second is something I haven’t eaten in eons, but remember eating as a child. Soft Boiled Eggs and White Toast.

For some reason Mom figured this was a panacea.

Hmmm… Three minutes, right?