When life gets you down, there are certain foods you turn to that will nourish your body and your spirit. Here are my top five comfort foods…

5. Breakfast (or Brunch) Buffet. I love breakfast. I loved waking up to the smell of bacon frying. As a kid, I once told my grandparents that “nussin’s as good as pancakes” and I was never allowed to forget it. Sunday after church was the day for “brunch.” Eggs, bacon, hash browns, pancakes, french toast, and, if you’re lucky, biscuits and gravy. Mmmmm. Heaven, it’s said, is a place of feasting. I can’t wait to see that breakfast buffet!

4. Grilled Cheese Sandwich. My family will marvel that this is not first on the list. As a child I ordered a grilled cheese sandwich at every restaurant. My dad could splurge to take us out to a fancy place and I would ask for a grilled cheese. I still love ’em. Give me a grilled cheese and watch me smile.

3. Eireflensjes. This Dutch version of the crepe presumably came to the states with my great-grandfather along with his tool chest, and it has been a family treat through the generations. The paper-thin egg, milk, & flour “pancake” is sprinkled with sugar (though some will try jelly, syrup, peanut butter, etc.), rolled up, and eaten. About once a year the family gathers for an eireflensjes feast.

2. Grandma Jeanne’s Cinnamon Rolls. From a culinary standpoint, I’m sure you can find other cinnamon rolls that exceed my  mother’s recipe in taste and texture. Mom’s secret ingredient, however, is love. Every cinnamon roll on Earth pales in comparison. Grandma Jeanne’s cinnamon rolls not only please my palate, they fill my soul.

1. Blueberry Pop-Tarts. I have a confession to make. Blueberry pop-tarts are my secret indulgence. If I get sick, sad or depressed, Kellogg’s toaster pastry comes to my rescue. The sweet frosting and the sugary blueberry filling in a steamy, toaster heated treat. Mmmmmmmm.

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• How to Make The Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich (notecook.com)
• Cheeseboy: Food Trend for 2011? (passionatefoodie.blogspot.com)
• What are your comfort foods? (doggonedmysteries.wordpress.com)
• Christmas Food Traditions: Menu Plan (thehappyhousewife.com)