ref=”https://thinktasty1.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/white-bread.jpg”>Right after Christmas, I came down with some kind of stomach bug/flu that eventually hit everyone in the family. So, as you can imagine, our after-Christmas/New Year celebrations were pretty low-key this year. We also had to keep the food mild. But that didn’t mean we didn’t enjoy it — when we were able. There are foods that’ll make you feel it’s a special occasion without upsetting your stomach.

Homemade white bread — When it’s still hot, and for a while after, there’s nothing that tastes better. If you have a bread machine, even a sick person can make a loaf easily in a couple of hours.

Fresh pasta — Someone gave us a lot of this for Christmas, already cooked. We reheated it a few minutes in boiling water and voila. I say “we” but I was too sick to do anything but give directions from the other room. Anyway, I’m told it tasted pretty good.

Eggnog — As long as it’s just eggnog, not spiked with anything. (If you’re feeling all right, on the other hand, and if you’ve made your own fruitcake but the dried fruit didn’t soak up all the liquor you put it in, try using that leftover liquor to spike the eggnog.It develops a sweet, fruity taste. I had some of it in eggnog just before I got sick — though I don’t see any causal connection.)

Pancakes — This special occasion breakfast is also something that satisfies what hunger you may have without making too many demands on your digestion.

Ice cream — Well, anyway, it would’ve been nice if we’d had any. Maybe next year we’ll think of it.

We toasted the New Year in orange-flavored sparkling water, which with a little stevia was at least as good as diet pop without so much acid, and looked forward to a quick recovery. Good health to you in 2014, too.