Cold weather demands comfort food. Things that are gooey, and basic, and stick-to-your-ribs-y, and flavorful. Now, you know me – I’m a busy girl, and I like dishes that can be assembled in under 15 minutes of active time, and take under an hour to prepare start to finish. the sooner I have dinner ready, the sooner I can reward myself with a glass of wine – er – a set of celebratory push-ups.

Since my children eat like someone’s paying them by volume, I like recipes that can be easily doubled or tripled. 

For that matter, I like recipes that reheat well, since we try to always have leftovers for me to take on my call nights. You see, as a rule, I think of eating out as a social activity where I am paying for food, yes, but more importantly, for the experience of not having to cook, and being able to enjoy my family and friends without the distraction of meal prep. I have always refused to pay a hospital cafeteria/local pizza service/sandwich joint/you-name-it for a meal that I will consume by myself, in a call room, and quite likely, between urgent phone calls and deliveries (ie not while still hot). It feels like I’m paying the cafeteria to be on call. Hence, tasty leftovers that I made with my own two hands, at a fraction of the price of the questionably-handled Monday Chicken Special.

Which brings us to Tomato Pie.

You simply cannot get more basic, and simple. It meets the requirements of comfort food, and is delicious and versatile. Plus, you can put one together easily on a budget. Switch out your cheeses, if you’re not a fan of goat cheese or if you’re on a budget, and throw in your favorites. throw in a couple of handfuls of spinach, if you like. And while lovely fresh tomatoes work beautifully during the summer, don’t worry that you’re stuck with hot-house tomatoes in the winter – the glorious, cheesy, crusty goo that melts all over them will kick the tomatoes up a notch.

One last word: You are welcome to make your own biscuit mix from scratch (super simple, I know) and use that instead. But frankly, this is one of the recipes where I break my own rules, and buy the mix, because I can’t wait to get to those push-ups I mentioned earlier. For that matter, this recipe is, quite literally, the one and only reason why I keep both Bisquick and mayonnaise in my kitchen at all. The mayo serves the purpose of a binding agent for your melting cheese as it crusts over your filling. Don’t skip it.

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Now, go do your push-ups!

 

[fancy_header type=”2″ subtitle=”Week One”]How Meal Planning Helped Me Save My Sanity[/fancy_header]