Home Comforts

I've really enjoyed the rain and thunderstorms passing through LA these past couple of days. It's given me just the right amount of fall to remind me of home, minus the colorful leaves. Each morning I wake up wishing that I could spend the morning in bed, watching movies. But I toughen up, go to work, and all the while, enjoy the cool air and cloudy weather. The dropping temps also have a way with changing my cravings and all I want right now is comfort food. Last night, I made soup and grilled cheese and it was a perfect companion to the thunder and lightning.

I've cooked Rachel Ray's Eggplant Raviolini Soup several times before, but this time I tried something different. After cooking the eggplant and garlic, I pureed it in my blender and then combined it with the stock and tomatoes. This made the soup smoother and thicker and when you eat it, it just goes down all warm and cozy. Instead of the raviolini I used stelline pasta (the tiny little stars!). This also added to the thicker texture of the soup plus it reminded me of my mom. She always used to make us tomato soup with the little stars. There's nothing better than infusing the comforts of home into your food. What's your favorite comfort food?