Hippo Sandwiches

Being sick sucks! Being a sick parent with kids who are also sick sucks even more! For the past week my poor boys have been battling a nasty head cold and, as of yesterday, my husband and I have caught it. Piles of used tissues are starting to pile up in our home, there is a hint of Mentholatum in the stale air, and the overall mood of our family has been quite gloomy. Yesterday, as I tucked my kids into bed for their nap, stroking their hair as I held a tissue up to my red and drippy nose, I began to think back on when my parents used to take care of me when I was sick. My mother was ever vigilant about keeping me pumped full of fluids as I laid under a mountain of blankets. I remember her stroking my hair and talking softly to me as she would give me my next dose of medicine. But in one particular memory, I remember my dad was coming home from a long and busy day (he was working two jobs at the time) when he decided to bring home some Taco Bell for dinner. Knowing that I was still feeling sick with very little appetite, he bought me a simple cup of re-fried beans with cheese on top. In that moment, it was the best tasting beans in the whole world. The warm cheesy beans were so kind to my sore throat as I ate, and it was the first "meal" I could really stomach all day. From that point on, any time I have gotten sick, I find myself wanting a nice cup of cheesy re-fried beans.

Comfort food can be powerful stuff. And I'm not just talking about the pint of ice cream you wolf down after a bad breakup, or the late-night bacon guacamole burger you make-out with at the end of a stressful work day. I mean the one dish that, no matter when you eat it, it awakens a memory deep within you that instantly brings a smile to your face. Even though I felt horribly sick, that silly little cup of re-fried beans my dad bought for me instantly turned my mood for the better. For some, it's a bowl full of chicken noodle soup. For others, it's a nice cup of lemon tea. Whatever it is that brings your tired and achy body just a little bit more comfort; I truly believe it can go a long ways towards helping you recover. As my mom used to say: where the mind goes, energy flows. To put it bluntly: happiness, even in the form of a meal, is powerful shit.

For myself, I often try to show my love to my family by providing good food. I like to go the extra mile to make healthy, delicious, fun food that can bring a smile to my family's face. As I sat there, watching my two boys sleep, their poor little stuffy noses and rattly breathing tugging at my heartstrings, I decided to make a dinner that night that would help lighten the mood for my family. So I set to work on making the most ridiculously cute and oh-so-tasty dinner they'd never forget: hippo sandwiches swimming in tomato soup. Yup, you read it correctly: hippo sandwiches. I was thrilled with how well they turned out and even more so at how happy and giggly it made my whole family (my husband included!). Those delicious little hippos did the job at comforting my family in a time of need, and I'm happy to say, after eating them, my family has quickly been on the mend. It's amazing what good food and a good mood can do for the body!

Perhaps some day, when my boys are adults and they come down with a head cold, they just might find themselves craving hippo sandwiches. I would love to see the look on their significant other's face when they say "Honey, can you make me a hippo for dinner tonight?"

Hippo Sandwiches

Ingredients for bread dough:
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg beaten
1/4 cup sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoon quick rise yeast (aka instant yeast)

Add all ingredients to a bread machine in the above order, and choose dough setting. Or, if you don't have a bread machine, mix all ingredients in a bowl until a soft dough is formed. For dough into a ball and turn into a oiled bowl. Over and let rise for about an hour.

Ingredients for hippos:
bread dough (follow recipe above)
3-4 cheese sticks cut in half
pesto
1 egg + water (for egg wash)
melted butter for brushing on buns after baking
black beans

To make the hippos, I found a great website that shows you step by step instructions on how to put them together. The only variation I did is to stuff the body of the hippo with cheese and pesto. Check back here after you see the instructions below.
 http://www.handmadecharlotte.com/healthy-hungry-hippo-soup-recipe/?pp=1

When it comes to forming the dough ball for the body, roll it out flat like a small pizza. Next, put a spoonful of pesto in the middle (don't worry about spreading it around) followed with half a cheese stick. Grab the edges of the dough and, creating a pocket around the pesto and cheese, pinch and roll the edges together. When the filling is completely encased inside the dough, flip the dough ball over (so the pinched side is underneath) and use that as the body of your hippo.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and lightly brush the paper with oil. Set baking sheet aside.

Once your hippos are stuffed and assembled, place them gently on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the hippos with egg wash and then bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes.

Remove hippos from oven and, while they are cooling down, brush each one with melted butter. Following the instructions for assembling the hippos from the website posted above, add the black beans for the eyes and nostrils.

When the hippos are complete, gently place the baked hippo sandwich into a bowl of your favorite hot soup. Serve hot.