The New Comfort Food

So enough for the moment with the heavy blog topics that keep me up at night. About a week ago I invented a new comfort food, and I thought y'all would like to know about it.

I came home last week from a day of running errands in the cold and the rain, wanting something to eat that was (a) hot, (b) gooey and melty, (c) loaded with protein, and (d) chocolaty. If it weren't for (d), I'd have gone for a grilled cheese sandwich like I usually do. But chocolate -- hot, gooey, melty chocolate -- was essential. Cranky hunger is the mother of invention, and I came up with this new comfort food treat that's definitely making it into the regular rotation:

The Grilled Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Sandwich.

The recipe is simple. Self-evident, even. The only trick is that you have to put peanut butter on both slices of bread, so the chocolate chips get sandwiched in between. And you should grill at a fairly low heat, to give the chips time to melt. I used butter in the frying pan, for the deliciousness; and I used whole wheat sandwich bread, to pretend that it was marginally healthy, and also 'cuz that's what we had in our fridge.

I've probably re-invented the wheel here. I'm sure I'm not the first to think of this. But I'm ridiculously proud of it anyway. If any of you try it, tell me how it goes. And if any of you have ever invented any comfort foods, let me know! I'd love to hear about it.

Comments

[Chip Ritter]

Hi, longtime listener, first time caller here. Greta, ya know I love you, but you realize you are merely acting out your desire for your absent, distant peanut butter chiffon black bottom pie. It's time to move on, for you (and I) shall never see its like again.

[Beth]

I sounds great, but I'd probably add some banana slices to the chocolate and peanut butter. More is always better in my comfort food philosophy.

On the other hand, comfort food without cheese... can we really call it comfort food???

[Stephen]

SWEET JESUS! I can hear my arteries hardening already! Fried peanut butter and chocolate sandwiches. You should sell them at the state fair next to the stand selling fried twinkies.

[Laura Deal]

I do an easier version. I put peanut butter and chocolate chips in a bowl and nuke until it's all gooey and melty. Then I use it as a dip for pretzels.

It's like chubby hubby ice cream- but for the winter months.

[Greta Christina]

"Greta, ya know I love you, but you realize you are merely acting out your desire for your absent, distant peanut butter chiffon black bottom pie. It's time to move on, for you (and I) shall never see its like again."

Well, the grilled peanut butter and chocolate chip sandwich is a somewhat different creature. Mostly because it's hot. Hot is essential to the thing. (And I will try it with bananas -- that sounds yummy, and it would make it a little less grotesquely rich.)

But Chip has a point. I do yearn for the peanut butter chiffon black bottom pie at The Pines. It's a terrible thing when your favorite restaurant in the world (a) is in Palmdale, and (b) doesn't exist anymore anyway. I can't think about it for too long, or I'll fall into despair.