Comfort Favorites...

I have one simple rule about what we eat at meals: I am not a short order cook. So our kids eat what is served or they don't eat. That may be harsh, but let's be honest, they aren't going to starve if they don't eat one meal. I want to teach my kids to eat well. We don't want them to turn into adults that only eat chicken tenders at restaurants and consider ketchup a vegetable. Come on, you know those adults. So if Steven and I are eating a really hearty vegetable soup, so are the kids. We get some balking but on the whole our kids eat pretty well with little resistance.

All of that said, we still eat some serious comfort food around here. Especially on Friday nights. Steven likes to go out on Friday nights. He's very extroverted. I'm very introverted. So he needs to get out of the house and be social. I need nights in with nothing to do. Sometimes we meet up and I go out with him, but really Friday nights have become a mom and kids night. When dad is out we almost always eat one of two things: spaghetti or linguine in a mushroom cram sauce. Mmmm. Anything that you can heap into a bowl and eat while watching a movie in your pjs is good comfort food. That's right. I'm 28 and I spend most of my Friday nights in my pjs curled up with my kids in my bed eating a big bowl of pasta while watching a Disney cartoon. Sometimes we like to shake things up and play a board game like Candy Land. And it is easily the highlight of my week. Watch out folks, I'm crazy wild!

Eating well and trying new things is very important. I would say it's one of our parenting priorities. But good memories are made around really bad for you but oh, so good comfort food.

Tonight we'll be watching Scooby-Doo and having the linguine dish. It's shaping up to be a great Friday night.

Linguine in a Mushroom Cream Sauce

1 lb. linguine
1/2 lb. portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
6 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 cup white wine (and another for yourself, if you're like me)
1/3 cup heavy cream a
small handful of chopped fresh Italian parsley
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Saute sliced mushrooms in butter or olive oil. Once browned add the mustard and white wine. Let it steam and bubble for a minute, then add the heavy cream. Boil for 7 to 8 minutes. Add a pinch of salt, pepper, and parsley. Pour over drained pasta. Enjoy (preferably in your pajamas)!