Home Is Where My Favorite Chef Is
Though I think I’ve been doing a pretty good job cooking for myself in my dorm room kitchen. There will never anything compared to a home cooked meal made by my mom.
This past weekend was fall break where I drove home to see my family, friends, and eat some of my mom’s delicious food.
Chicken tortilla soup is always a win on a cold day.
There is no better feeling than after a five and a half-hour drive to pull into the driveway of your house to walk inside and find your mom making one of your all times favorites, chicken tortilla soup. Being able to sit down at the dinner table with my parents again and enjoy a great meal was the best way to start my fall break.
Of course, the soup was just as delicious as I remembered… the warm broth that coats your mouth with flavor, chicken that makes your mouth water, poblano peppers that give just the right about of spice, pieces of tomatoes cooked perfectly, all topped off with fresh cilantro, sour cream, and tortilla strips. One bowl of chicken tortilla soup is never enough at the Bowen house.
The next night my mom gave buffalo Wild Wings a run for their money after she made some killer chicken wings. Wow! They were so spicy but so good. You still wanted to lick your fingers even though your mouth felt like it was on fire.
Chicken and dumplings… I think this might have been my third bowl. Oops!
Sunday night, was hands down my favorite night. Homemade from scratch chicken and dumplings. I don’t think it could ever properly be fall or winter without some of mom’s chicken and dumplings. From boiling the chicken to making her own dumplings, she does it all. And boy, does it taste delicious. After the perfect combination of chicken, carrots, celery, and dumplings. Next thing you know your three bowls in and all you wanna do is take a nap. Which is actually the perfect solution because once you wake up you realize that you can have another bowl.
And of course, I couldn’t go home without having some great homemade tacos as well. Growing up in the Lower Yakima Valley, there isn’t a problem that couldn’t be solved with a homemade tortilla. I firmly believe that the best taco is an al pastor taco. I may be a little bias but I think my moms are the best.
Hands down the best tacos. I’m a little bias though cause I know the chef!
With her homemade sauce on top of perfectly cooked pork, it’s enough to have anyone coming back for a second or even a third plate. My perfect taco is a combination of a homemade corn tortilla with sour cream, al pastor, fresh cilantro, green onions, radishes, and if you’re feeling a little spicy… top it off with some Sriracha! After three or four of those with some homemade Mexican rice on the side, you may want to change into some pants with a little stretch, goodness knows that I sure did!
Even though going home does mean that I get to eat some of my mom’s great cooking, that isn’t even the best part. The best part is that I get to be back under the same roof as the people I love. There isn’t a day that I’m not reminded about how love and support my family has for me. Even though I am back at college till Thanksgiving, I know that their love and support travels with me wherever I go. It would be nice though if somehow my mom’s cooking traveled with me too!
Make sure you come back next week to see where I’m going to Nashville… you never know were this fork is going next!
