Comfort Food, is defined by Wikipedia as “food that provides a nostalgic or sentimental value to someone and may be characterized by its high caloric nature, high carbohydrate level, or simple preparation. The nostalgia may be specific to an individual, or it may apply to a specific culture.” These are things that I make when it’s cold outside or when life has been rough and you need a hug from the inside. These are also dishes that I make when I’m dropping off a meal to someone who just had a baby, a death in the family, or moved into a new home. When I think of dishes that represent this, I think of Chicken Pot Pie, Braised Short Ribs, Beef Stew and the like. As the weather cools down, the days get shorter, and for folks like me with Seasonal Affective Disorder, the need for comfort food is coming, so let me share some of my favorites with you. Try one or all of the recipes and let me know how you like them!
Chicken Pot Pie: I love chicken pot pie and so does my family (well, most of us). It’s the perfect comfort food and an awesome dish to serve when having company. I’ve tried several different recipes. Some with puff pastry topping, some with biscuit topping, some with pie crust. I have tried all kinds of fillings too, but could never find that recipe that was just right. Then, I stumbled upon a recipe that was different. It had heavy cream in it, which gave the filling a perfect creaminess. It also had chicken base in the recipe, which added an awesome “chicken-i-ness” to the filling. As usual, I followed the recipe to a tee the first time I made it and then added my own improvements to it. I replaced the puff pastry with a top and bottom pie crust. I also added some additional seasoning to the gravy to kick it up a bit. This has become a family favorite recipe. Since my oldest son is a picky eater and doesn’t care for pie crust, I put some filling to the side for him and serve it over egg noodles.
Braised Short Ribs: My mom always loved short ribs. She would brown them up and then simmer them on the stove for hours and serve them with delicious gravy and mashed potatoes. It was a Sunday dinner that I always looked forward to. As I began raising my own family, this was a dish that I wanted to develop my own version of. While I can’t claim credit for the recipe that I now use, I can claim the fact that this is one of my best dishes. The tenderness of the meat and the depth of flavor in the sauce is amazing. The richness of the wine and the sweetness from the vegetables is spot-on. I’ve also used the same recipe with a beef roast instead of short ribs, which is a great way to cut down on the cost of the recipe. And remember, never cook with a wine that you wouldn’t drink. It doesn’t need to be an expensive wine, just a tasty wine.
Beef Cubes: This recipe is probably one of the simplest recipes that you will find from me. It’s actually my mother-in-law’s recipe with just a few tweaks. All you need is a crockpot, some stew beef, and some additions that I guarantee you probably have in your cupboard right now: Lipton Onion Soup Mix, Cream of Mushroom Soup, and some Worcestershire Sauce (this is my own addition). Throw it in the crockpot and let it cook away. Your house will smell amazing and everyone will be excited to eat. I always serve the stew with buttered, extra-wide PA Dutch egg noodles. There is rarely any leftover and everyone loves it.
