Best Comfort Food Recipes

What makes a certain type of food a "comfort" food? Well,usually it is something that brings back fond childhood memories,giving an instant feeling of safety and security. It might be something that your mother made for you a lot,or even an aunt or grandparent.

You probably have crystal clear memories of sitting around the family table as a child eating what we call comfort foods. Comfort foods really aren't known for being the healthiest choices,but boy do they make you feel good. Home cooked meals always have a way of making people feel warm and happy inside. If you're in need of a quick fix me up,then look no farther. This article is going to show you some of the best recipes for your old favorites.

Recipe makes 6 servings

You will need:

1 1/2 cups of elbow macaroni

1/4 cup of butter or margarine

2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1 teaspoon mustard powder

2 cups of whole milk

8 ounces of Kraft American cheese cubes

8 ounces of Velveeta cheese,cut into cubes

optional - 1/4 cup of seasoned dry bread crumbs

After gathering all ingredients,pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Boil a pot of salted water,then add macaroni until it is somewhat short of being done,(about 6-7 minutes). Drain water from macaroni.

In a small pot,melt your butter or margarine over medium heat. Slowly blend in flour,mustard powder,and pepper until mixture is smooth. Next stir in the milk,breaking up any lumps as you go. Add your cheese, and stir until you have a thick,smooth sauce.

Stir the elbow macaroni into the cheese sauce,and then transfer to the casserole dish for baking. If preferred,sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Cover the casserole dish,and bake for 20-25 minutes,or until sauce is thick and is bubbly on top.

Recipe makes 8 servings

You will need:

1 1/2 lbs. of ground beef (not too lean)

1 onion,finely chopped

1 cup of whole milk

1 egg

1 cup of plain or seasoned dry bread crumbs

1 tablespoon of worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons of mustard

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

1/3 cup of ketchup

salt and pepper to desired taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan or baking dish. Using a large bowl,combine your ground beef, worcestershire sauce,onion,milk,egg,salt,pepper and bread crumbs. With your hands,mix all above mentioned ingredients with the beef,forming a loaf shape,and place in the loaf pan.

Using a small bowl,combine the brown sugar,mustard and ketchup. Mix together thoroughly and pour over top of the meatloaf. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F.

 Recipe makes 8 servings

You will need:

1/4 cup of all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 pounds of stew meat

1/4 cup of olive oil

1 cup of chopped celery

1 cup of chopped onion

3 cloves garlic,chopped finely

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 can of tomato paste

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 1/2 cups of water

4 cups of peeled and diced potatoes

4 cups of peeled and sliced carrots

In a medium bowl,combine flour,salt and pepper. Add stew meat,and coat evenly with flour mixture. Heat olive oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add onion,celery,garlic,and stew meat. Cook until meat is no longer pink,and vegetables are tender. Stir frequently.

Add canned tomatoes (undrained),tomato paste,water and bouillon,and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1 hour,making sure to stir occasionally. Add potatoes and carrots and simmer for 20 minutes longer,or until meat and vegetables have reached the desired tenderness.

Recipe makes 6 servings

For the meatballs,you will need:

1 pound of lean ground beef

1 cup of fresh or dried bread crumbs

1 tablespoon parsley

1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 egg (beaten)

For the sauce,you will need:

5 cloves of garlic (minced)

3/4 cup of chopped onion

2 teaspoons of salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/4 cup of olive oil

2 cans of whole tomatoes (peeled)

1 bay leaf

1 can of tomato paste

3/4 teaspoon of dried basil

In a large bowl,combine your ground beef,bread crumbs,1/4 teaspoon black pepper,garlic powder,parsley,parmesan,and egg. Mix ingrediants well,and make 12 balls out of the meat mixture. Store covered in refrigerator until finished making the sauce.

Using a large saucepan,saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat. After the onions become translucent,stir in tomatoes, sugar,salt and bay leaf. Reduce heat to low,and cover. Simmer the sauce for 90 minutes. Stir in tomato paste,basil,the rest of the black pepper and meatballs,and simmer 30 minutes longer. Serve over top of angel hair pasta or spaghetti pasta.

 Recipe makes 5 servings

You will need:

1 whole chicken (2-3lbs.),cut into pieces

1 cup of dried bread crumbs,unseasoned

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup of mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a gallon size zip-lock bag,mix together the bread crumbs,garlic powder,salt,pepper,thyme and paprika.Evenly coat your pieces of chicken with the mayonnaise. Put chicken pieces together in bag with crumb mixture,and shake until chicken is well coated.

Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place chicken in baking dish,and bake for around 45 minutes,or until the juices are clear.

Recipe makes 4 servings

You will need:

4 large potatoes

1 (3 ounce) package of softened cream cheese

1 tablespoon of chopped chives

3/4 teaspoon of onion salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup of sour cream

1 tablespoon of butter or margarine

paprika to taste

Peel and cube your potatoes. Place in a large pot,and cover with water. Cook over medium-high heat until potatoes are tender. Drain well. Mash until smooth,and stir in sour cream,cream cheese,chives,onion salt and pepper. Move potatoes into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Dot with butter on top,and paprika if desired. Bake covered at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.

Recipe makes 4 servings

For the topping,You will need:

1/2 cup of all purpose flour

1/4 cup of white granulated sugar

1/4 cup of brown sugar (light)

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon of salt

6 tablespoons of butter,cut into pieces

1/3 cup of rolled oats

1/3 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans

For the filling,you will need:

2 1/2 pounds of granny smith apples (peeled,cored,and cut into 1 inch chunks)

juice from 1/2 a lemon

1 teaspoon lemon zest

3 tablespoons of white granulated sugar

optional - 1 cup of fresh raspberries or blackberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F,placing oven rack directly in the center of the oven. Lightly grease a 9 inch deep dish pie plate,and set aside. Place all the topping ingredients in the food processor until the mixture is crumbly and there are no visible chunks of butter. (You may also use your hands instead of a food processor). Set aside until you are done preparing the filling.

Place the cut apples in a large bowl,and add the berries,lemon zest,lemon juice,and sugar. Transfer to the pie dish,and spread your prepared topping evenly over the apples. Bake for 30-40 minutes,or until topping is golden brown. Cool for 30 minutes,and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

 Recipe makes 12 pancakes

You will need:

1 1/4 cup of all purpose white flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 tablespoon of baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons of white sugar

1 cup of milk

1 egg

1/2 tablespoon of melted butter

1/2 cup of frozen (thawed) blueberries,or fresh blueberries

Using a large bowl,combine flour,salt,baking powder,and sugar. In a small bowl,combine egg and milk,and beat them together. Stir the milk and egg into flour mix. Add butter,and fold in the blueberries. Let sit for 1 hour.

Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium high heat. Pour the pancake batter into the pan,using about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Brown on both sides,and serve hot with butter and syrup.