More often than not, eating some warm and hearty home cooked food that’s made with love is the best remedy for a broken heart, a hard day and just when you’re feeling down and out. There’s just something about delicious food that warms up our insides and makes us feel comfortable and relaxed. Cooking and baking is also regarded to be no less than therapy and is one of the best ways to unwind when there’s a lot on your mind. So, if you’re having a bad day, trying out these comfort food recipes will make you feel better in no time.
1. Ree Drummond‘s Macaroni And Cheese
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 4 cups dried macaroni
- 1 whole egg
- 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 heaping teaspoons dry mustard (more if desired)
- 1 pound sharp Cheddar, grated (not pre-grated cheese), plus more for baking
- Salt
- Seasoned salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Optional spices: cayenne pepper, paprika, thyme
How you can put it all together:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook the macaroni until still slightly firm. Drain and set aside.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg. In a large pot, melt the butter and sprinkle in the flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook for a couple of minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn. Pour in the milk, add the mustard and whisk until smooth. Cook until very thick, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
- Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into the beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. Whisk together until smooth. Pour the egg into the sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth. Add in the cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt and the pepper. Add any additional spices if desired. Taste the sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.
- Pour in the drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Serve immediately (while it’s still very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese and bake until bubbly and golden on top, 20 to 25 minutes.
Recipe Courtesy: Ree Drummond | www.foodnetwork.com
2. Rachel Farnsworth‘s Chicken Noodle Soup
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 1 white onion diced
- 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 ounces egg noodles
- 1.5 cups diced cooked chicken
- 3 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
How you can put it all together:
- In a large stockpot, heat butter on medium high heat. Add carrots, celery, onions and saute everything until the veggies become slightly tender. Add ginger, garlic and saute them for 1-2 minutes, making sure not to burn them.
- Add broth, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, pepper and bring everything to a boil. Let simmer 5 minutes.
- Add chicken and egg noodles and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until the noodles become soft. Note: If you like more broth in your soup, you can add some more water or broth and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes.
- Check the flavor to see if you need to add more herbs or salt and pepper. Stir in parsley and serve hot.
Recipe Courtesy: Rachel Farnsworth | thestayathomechef.com
3. Neha Mathur‘s Carrot Halwa
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1/2 kg Carrots
- 1/2 litre Full-fat milk
- 60 g Ghee
- 1 tsp Freshly ground cardamom powder
- 120 g Sugar
- 125 g Khoya
- Almond and pistachio slivers for garnishing
How you can put it all together:
- Wash the carrots and peel them.
- Grate the carrots to medium thickness.
- Add the carrots and milk in a heavy bottom pan and cook on low heat until all the milk is absorbed.
- Add ghee in the pan along with cardamom powder.
- Fry for 4-5 minutes on low heat.
- Keep stirring continuously.
- Add sugar and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
- Add grated khoya and cook for 15-20 minutes on low heat until ghee starts to leave on the sides.
- Keep stirring in between.
- Garnish with almond and pistachio slivers. Serve warm.Recipe Courtesy: Neha Mathur | www.whiskaffair.com
4. Hebbar‘s Cheesy Garlic Bread
Here’s what you’ll need:
- ¼ cup warm milk
- 1 tsp dry yeast / any yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- pinch of salt
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ¾ tsp oregano
- 1 tsp unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup plain flour/maida/ all purpose flour
- 2 tsp oil
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
- 3 tbsp plain flour/maida/ all-purpose flour to dust
- ¼ cup mozzarella cheese / any cheese of choice
- 2 tsp chili flakes
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
How you can put it all together:For the garlic dough:
- Firstly, in a large mixing bowl take warm milk, dry yeast and sugar. mix well.
- Rest for 5 minutes.
- Furthermore, add a pinch of salt, garlic and oregano.
- Additionally, add butter and maida. start to knead the dough.
- Further, coat the dough with oil and rest for 2 hours.For the garlic bread:
- Further, punch the dough.
- In a small bowl mix in butter, garlic and coriander leaves.
- Spread the prepared garlic butter over the dough generously.
- Further top with mozzarella cheese on half of the dough.
- Also, season with chili flakes and oregano.
- Fold the dough and seal the edges.
- Furthermore, brush a generous amount of prepared garlic butter.
- Also, top with chili flakes and mixed herbs.
- Make marks over bread without cutting them fully.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degree Celsius for 15 minutes.
- Cut the garlic bread into pieces and serve.
Recipe Courtesy: Archana Hebbar | hebbarskitchen.com
5. Ina Garten‘s Hot Chocolate
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso or coffee powder
- 4 to 5 vanilla beans or cinnamon sticks, for garnish
How you can put it together:
- Heat the milk and half-and-half in a saucepan on medium heat to just below the simmering point. Remove the pan from the heat and add both chocolates.
- When the chocolates are melted, add the sugar, vanilla extract, and espresso and whisk vigorously.
- Reheat gently and serve immediately. Use a vanilla bean or cinnamon stick to garnish each serving. Recipe Courtesy: Ina Garten | www.food network.com
6. Dorothy’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (104g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups (186g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups (255g) chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk)
How you can put it all together:
- Note: This dough requires chilling.
- Place melted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Add granulated and brown sugars and mix on low speed until the mixture is smooth. Mix in egg and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until combined.
- Mix in baking soda and salt, then slowly mix in flour and mix just until the batter is smooth and comes together. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl during mixing. Slowly mix in chocolate chips.
- Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of dough onto the cookie sheet. Spacing doesn’t matter because you will be chilling the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a second cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Remove the chilled cookie dough balls from the refrigerator and space them 2-inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake (2 tablespoon sized cookies) for 11-15 minutes, or until the edges are a light golden and the tops are no longer glossy. Let cool on the cookie sheets at least 10 minutes before removing.
Recipe Courtesy: www.crazyforcrust.com
We hope that these comfort food recipes will help you feel better on the days you feel blue.
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