Out here in DC, we’ve had mixed weather. Our January’s and February’s are usually cold, but for whatever reason it’s been balmy this winter season. When it’s not in the 40’s or 50’s, it’s been rainy. This time of year, I’m usually making a beef stew or chicken noodle soup to sip on while cuddling up against bae during cuffing season.
So, it was when I was feeling a little tingly and nostalgic on a warmer than usual, January, Monday night when I perused the 20 Best, Easy, Comfort Foods over at The Guardian.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen obscured shadows of Nigella Lawson’s round, derriere on Food Network when it featured cooking shows, but her recipe for Chicken Barley Stew is a robust and full one.
Many of the others on the list like Toad in the Hole, Mi Xao Chay, and Multigrain Porridge sound simple, but have fanciful preparations. Many of these comfort foods will wear you out during preparation and you might find yourself too tired to eat. Comfort foods, like a good chicken noodle soup, a stew, or mac-n-cheese are satisfyingly savory yet deceptively simple in ingredients and preparation. That’s not to say I’m a lazy cook, I get down in a kitchen, and make veal saltimbocca when I’m feeling it. But shouldn’t comfort foods be just that?
Just because the comfort foods I suggested have few ingredients, doesn’t mean their execution can be blown. How many macaroni and cheese dishes have been scraped off the plate for instance? It’s just that I think a comfort food should be enjoyed by the eater as well as the preparer.
Here are my picks for 2023 comfort foods to warm you up when it gets cold.
1. Chicken Noodle Soup
And what did I do, but lead off with the frilliest presentation of a simple dish. Clocking in at 30 minutes chop time, and 1 hour of simmering time, Ina Garten’s matzo ball chicken soup is a winner. It really is a simple dish to make, especially if you shortcut cooking the chicken for buying a rotisserie at your local supermarket, and subbing in fresh herbs for the ones out of a shaker. Taking these steps will cut you down to 45 minutes tops and you’re spooning out matzo balls in your man’s arms. Cuffed up. Thanks to the Barefoot Contessa.
2. Mac-n-Cheese
The thing about macaroni and cheese is that it’s good because it’s simple. Home and celebrity chefs are always out here trying to do something different to the formula. Boiled noodles, salt, pepper, lots of flavorful cheese…thassit!!! Everyone has their favorite binding agents to keep the mass together, some people like bread crumps on top, and others want to crispy the crust. K-I-S-S. Keep it simple stupid! Food.com copied Patti LaBelle’s mac-n-cheese recipe from Good Morning America after she prepped it on the show. Patti uses half-n-half and eggs as binding agents. Her secret weapon in my opinion is Velvet cheese. Check her recipe out. 50 minutes and you can spoon goodness in your mouth. Let it rest for a little and it’s velvety, cheesy, goodness.
3. Cornbread
Milk, cornmeal, and butter. It gets no simpler, and no comfortabler than that. 🙂 There are some really good cornbread recipes out there. You can even get a spicy cornbread with jalapeños baked inside. Some people pour a little honey on top, or sprinkle sugar for a sweet crust. They all work. And work well. A slice of cornbread, lifted out of warm, greased skillet brings back memories of Easter’s past. A dollop of butter and it becomes heaven. I’m not even going to front on this. Get yourself a box of Jiffy and Google any number of cornbread recipes. Here’s a start from Jiffy themselves.
4. Manwich
Not Sloppy Joe’s. We’re talking ground beef; or, ground turkey if you will, browned, drained, and drenched with a can of Manwich sauce. Sometimes, after a long day at work, you want to get home and get the stove engineering done quickly. And you can whip up some that’s good and tasty, and warms you up while going down. Manwich is it. Here’s where it gets good. If you can, spring for a higher quality brioche or treat yourself with a luxurious King’s Hawaiian bun. Toast or not to toast is up to you, and then lay on a slice of your favorite cheese. Bonus, melt some Cheese Whiz on top. Pair this with some fries, and a glass of red when it’s raining outside…
5. Homemade Pizza
Sometimes you just want to get to basic principles. There is no more perfect foundation than the temple that is pizza. A crust and sauce is all you need to start. From there, a plethora of toppings and ingredients can take you places you’ve never dreamed before. If you’re feeling simple, a straight forward mozzarella or Italian cheese blend from a bag can get you started, but…if you’re feeling indulgent grating a wine soaked cheese can give your pie some added definition. You can make pizza with turkey, or sausage, pepperoni, or ham, and pineapples. It’s up to you. And what’s great about pizza? It pairs well with so many options. Beer, a red, or even my hubby’s favorite, bourbon will taste great with pizza. You can also be as easy or as complex as you like. Most urban supermarkets will sell you prepared baked crust, or you can buy a bag of wet dough, or simply get a can of Pillsbury biscuit mix to iron out. Pro-tip, spring for a really good sauce. A decent sauce will only cost $5 bucks compared to $1.99 store brand. And through some green stuff like spinach on their for good measure.
I don’t if you think this list of comfort food is ratchet, bougie, or somewhere in between, but I just feel like comfort foods are just really simple treats we can sit back and let it all go when we eat. I don’t need a mental exercise to pick out exotic ingredients, and I don’t want to be tired while trying to be comforted.
I’m interested in knowing what your comfort foods are. Please share your comfort food ideas in the comments.
Chef’s kiss.
-MJ