Omaha Nebraska is known around the country as one of the best sources for steak. This is mostly due to the fact that beef is Nebraska’s single largest industry, and Omaha has been the country’s meatpacking center since the 1950s. Also, the Reuben sandwich was invented at the Blackstone Hotel and has become an American culinary staple. I would have guessed that a Reuban came out of one of the classic Jewish delis in New York – who knew!
Speaking of Jewish delis, my all time favorite comfort food is Matza ball soup. Another item that comes to mind is my mom’s meatloaf. Unfortunately, she is no longer living but when I want to feel my mother’s care, I make that meatloaf or if my stomach is up to it, the family sauce.
Top comfort foods
Comfort food is an ever evolving concept and yet it defies all trends. Whether we’re craving meatloaf, mom’s spaghetti and meatballs or a big bowl of matzo ball soup, we want our homespun favorites just the way mom or grandma used to make them. Here are some favorites in the United States:
- Spaghetti and meatballs
- Chicken Soup
- Meatloaf
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Beef Stroganoff
- Grilled Cheese and Tomato soup
- Chili
- Mac n Cheese
- Ice cream
- Mashed potatoes and gravy
From Family Tree Recipe Box, here’s a recipe for one of those top favorites; chicken pot pie.
For the crust you will need:
1 box (14.1 oz) refrigerated pie crusts (2 Count), softened as directed on box
(or feel free to make your own dough if you’re up to it!)
For the pot pie filling you will need:
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 3/4 cups chicken broth (from a 32-oz carton)
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
Steps to take:
Pre- Heat oven to 425°F.
Prepare pie crusts as directed on box for two-crust pie using 9-inch glass pie pan.
In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until bubbly and thickened.
Stir in chicken and mixed vegetables. Remove from heat. Spoon chicken mixture into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. During last 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Why does comfort food make us feel good?
With the potential to offer many benefits psychologically, comfort food is a mothers favorite tool that has been healing children across the world for centuries by cooking specific family recipes with love.
Comfort foods have the ability to release dopamine into the body. This release, bestowes rewards such as pleasure, stress relief, and warm feelings that are often accompanied by deep memories that often include love and caring.
It is not only used by moms, dads, nanas or papas, but by our favorite coaches and teachers alike. “I’m sorry your team lost the championship. Let’s go get some ice cream,” or just reverse it to, “Yay, we won the championship! Let’s go get some ice cream, on me!”. Either way, somehow that ice cream made the rough time a little better and the good times, even better. At least it semed to.
Does any of this sound familiar? The words were intended to be of genuine concern, very innocent actions on the part of our loved ones to want to express concern and love to us when we were hurting or happy. We knew that it was through food, not just any food though mind you. Usually the foods were loaded in fats and carbs. Because of this, food has been used as a special type of medicine, or some kind of anti-depressant to cure any feeling that ails us. However, such patterns may become a life threatening, serious problem especially if it is a habitual pattern causing excessive weight gain.
Defined by Wikipedia, “Comfort food consumption is seen as a response to emotional stress and, consequently, as a key contributor to an epidemic of obesity in the US. The provocation of specific hormonal responses leading selectively to increases in abdominal fat is seen as a form of self-medication.
Further studies suggest that consumption of comfort food is triggered in men by positive emotions, and by negative ones in women. The stress effect is particularly pronounced among college-aged women, with only 33% reporting healthy eating choices during times of emotional stress. For women specifically, these psychological patterns may be maladaptive,”.
All of the cultures from around the world have certain, specific customs around food. In my childhood, money was scarce and when there was some kind of special occasion, it meant that we would use limited resources to buy special foods. It meant that we were being treated in a special way. Birthdays meant choosing a special meal and a type of cake and ice cream (within a budget).
Later in life, patterns of panic buying and stockpiling could be a response to any heightened forms of anxiety, fear and/or uncertainty about the future when breought up in low-income households.
Funerals also involve bringing food to the bereaved. The funeral ritual is one of special interest to this topic. The message is quite obvious: “I hope this food makes you feel better.” Again, the gift is given with love and care but unfortunately, it’s another reinforcement to use food to make us feel better.
We are given messages early in our lives and then reinforced throughout our lives about how food can make us feel different or feel better. Thus, when we equate food with happiness, we continue to turn to food for comfort to feel happy or better, albeit temporarily.
What food is Omaha famous for?
In conclusion, Omaha’s reputation for outstanding steak and the surprising birthplace of the iconic Reuben sandwich adds a flavorful charm to its culinary landscape. These regional delicacies reflect a broader trend seen across America—comfort food that connects us to cherished memories, loved ones, and home.
So, whether you’re indulging in Omaha’s famed steak or baking a pie from a treasured family recipe, let these moments of culinary delight serve as reminders of connection, history, and the simple joys of life. Manga! Manga!
Ciao Bella ~