Tag: Comfort Food

Side Dishes

Recipe—Cheesy Mac Attack A.K.A. Macaroni N’ Cheese

Diva di Cucina

When I think classic comfort food, I think of macaroni n’ cheese. Not the orange powdery stuff in a box that one might consider to be cheese, I’m talkin’ the real deal here. I’m talkin’ down right delicious oven baked mac n’ cheese that has a perfectly crunchy topping covering ooey gooey cheesy noodle goodness. If you are on a diet, do yourself a favor and don’t make this! You will not have the self-control to only eat one bite let alone resist it. Once you try this macaroni n’ cheese you will never need or want another recipe ever again. It is so good! It has now even become a regular item at our holiday dinners so keep it in mind come the holidays. I hope you and your family enjoy this favorite recipe of mine.

Note: I will warn you, this makes A LOT of ridiculously divine macaroni n’ cheese. It’s not a bad thing, just be warned! I actually follow the recipe and then split it into two 9”x 9” dishes and freeze one since it freezes great! The disposable foil containers you get at the grocery store are perfect for this and I love that they fit in the seal o’ meal bags allowing them to last well over 6 months in the freezer, not that it will last that long, but it could.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb pasta of choice (I like rotini because the cheese sticks to it really well)
2 c small curd cottage cheese
1 c sour cream
2 eggs
1 c Swiss cheese, shredded
3 c cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1 c bread crumbs (I like crushed croutons)

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 375º.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta noodles al dente according to package instructions.
  • While pasta is cooking combine cottage cheese, sour cream, eggs, cheeses, and seasonings in a large bowl.
  • When your pasta is done cooking add it to the cheesy mixture and stir well.
  • Place macaroni n’ cheese in a 9” x 13” baking dish, or two 9” x 9” dishes if you wish to freeze one for later.
  • Top with breadcrumbs.
  • Place in oven and bake for 25–30 minutes or until bread crumbs are lightly browned on top.
  • Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. (Good luck waiting that long!)

Dinners

Recipe—Creamy Mushroom Artichoke Chicken

Diva di Cucina

This is a quick and simple chicken recipe that is easy enough to enjoy mid-week after work and impressive enough to serve up at a dinner party. Every time I have made this, my guests and family have “cleaned” their plates. It is a lovely creamy comfort dish that has loads of flavor. The Italian dressing from the marinated chicken and the capers give the dish a nice little zest and goes with the earthy mushroom flavor nicely. I love it served with rice or potatoes. You just will want to put this rich sauce over everything on your plate. Mmmmmm… If you actually have any leftovers they are great for lunch the next day! My work days always seem better when I know I will have a yummy lunch to enjoy later.

Note: If you are short on time you can cut the chicken into 1” cubes and it will cook much quicker.

INGREDIENTS
1 c Italian dressing
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 
tbsp butter, divided
8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
3 
tbsp rice vinegar
1 pt whipping cream
3 
tbsp capers, drained
1/4 
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6.5 oz jar artichoke hearts, drained

 STEPS

  • Marinade your chicken breasts in the Italian dressing for at least 1 hour.
  • Using a large skillet melt 1 tbsp of the butter over medium-high heat and cook mushrooms until brown and tender, about 5–10 minutes.
  • Remove mushrooms from skillet and place to the side.
  • Add the remaining 2 tbsp of butter to the skillet and add the chicken breasts.
  • Cook the chicken for 10–18 minutes or until no longer pink, turning occasionally.
  • Transfer chicken to a serving dish and cover with foil to keep warm.
  • Remove skillet from heat and add the vinegar, stirring to loosen all the browned bits in the bottom of the skillet.
  • Return skillet to low heat and stir in cream, capers, and pepper.
  • Bring sauce to a boil and cook uncovered until thickened, about 4–6 minutes.
  • Return mushrooms to skillet and add artichoke hearts heating through.
  • Pour the creamy sauce over your chicken breasts and serve immediately. 
Sandwiches

Recipe—Fancy Man Grilled Cheese

Diva di Cucina

I recently received a cookbook with 50 different grilled cheese sandwiches. Eventually I will try them all! The sandwiches were not named; they were just referenced as Grilled Cheese #1 and so on. I told my husband to pick any one of them out for me to cook and he picked one that had roast beef, Dijon mustard, caramelized onions, and Brie. Go figure, a man picked one that was made with beef. Brie is a fairly elegant cheese so I decided to name this one the Fancy Man Grilled Cheese. Suiting right?

This sandwich turned out to be absolutely delicious! The Brie was lovely and it melted to be just the perfect amount of gooey. It was a very nice pairing with the sweet caramelized onions and the heartiness of the roast beef. I really want to try this sandwich again but substitute the roast beef for some green apple slices. I love apples with Brie and think it would be a delicious pairing as well. The sandwich was a hit with the whole family and we will most certainly be making it again. It truly is ooey gooey goodness!

Note: I found spreadable Brie by Président that worked fabulously. I didn’t have to deal with the white rind so it was very quick and easy to work with. I’m sure regular Brie would work just as well. This recipe is written for two large sandwiches.

INGREDIENTS
1 yellow onion, sliced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 large slices of sourdough bread
2 tbs butter, softened
Dijon mustard
spreadable Brie (I used most of a 4.4. oz container)
1/2 lb of sliced roast beef

STEPS

  • Heat a heavy nonstick frying pan over medium heat and add the oil.
  • Once the oil is nice and hot add the sliced onions and stir them immediately so each onion slice is coated in the oil.
  • Allow the onions to cook stirring every 30 seconds or so. Once the browning begins, lower the heat to decrease your risk of burning the onions.
  • Continue to stir the onions every couple of minutes until they are a golden or deep brown. This will take at least 10–20 minutes.
  • Remove the onions from the pan and place in a bowl to the side.
  • Carefully wipe out your skillet with a paper towel to remove any residual bits.
  • Spread one side of each piece of the bread with butter.
  • On two on the pieces of bread spread the opposite sides with Dijon mustard and then a thin layer of the Brie.
  • Place the bread butter side down in the pan and cook over medium high–heat.
  • Top the bread in the pan with the sliced roast beef and add your caramelized onions. Spread the dry sides of your two reaming pieces of bread with a layer of Brie and top your sandwich with them butter side out.
  • Cook for approximately 3 minutes or until the bread is a toasty brown.
  • Turn and repeat.
Salads, Side Dishes

Recipe—Classic Macaroni Salad

Diva di Cucina

Who doesn’t love good ol’ fashioned macaroni salad? It is a staple at summer bbqs and is the ultimate in summertime comfort food. With 4th of July right around the corner I thought that this would be a fabulous recipe to share. This macaroni salad is so basic and easy but it is still out of this world. It has just the right amount of creaminess. There is something about the way the vinegar breaks down the mayonnaise that makes it just right. The veggies give the salad the perfect amount of crunch to complement the soft noodles. I could seriously eat this stuff every day. It’s one item that I don’t think I could ever get sick of. This is a recipe that will suit everyone at your next gathering. Be sure to try this before summer ends. I have a feeling you will be happy you did.

Note: Be sure not to overcook your pasta or your salad will turn to complete mush. Once your pasta is cooked al dente, drain it in a colander and run cold water over the noodles to stop the cooking and cool it down quickly. When you add the dressing it may seem too saucy but don’t fret. The pasta will end up soaking up quite a bit of the moisture once it chills in the fridge. Another important reason you don’t want your pasta overcooked. If it seems dry the next day just stir in some additional mayonnaise. 

INGREDIENTS
1 1/4 c mayonnaise
2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
1 tbsp yellow mustard
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 lb macaroni, cooked and drained
1 c celery, sliced
1/2 c green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 c green onion, chopped
1/2 c sliced black olives

STEPS

  • Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper to make your creamy dressing.
  • Pour dressing over cooked noodles and stir in all remaining ingredients. (I like to leave out a few black olives and green onions to garnish the top of the salad with.)
  • Cover and chill until ready to eat.
Sweet Treats

Recipe—Banana Split Pie

Diva di Cucina

This may be one of my best desserts yet! A banana split in the form of a pie. How can one go wrong?!? You can’t with this combination of ingredients. When I think of my childhood summers, banana splits come to mind. This dessert screams fun and it is an absolutely perfect dessert for all ages. It is cool, refreshing, and just looks beautiful!

This dessert is a no-bake pie so your kitchen won’t get hot when you are making it this summer. There are several steps which make it a little time consuming, but that is what is required to get all the scrumptious layers. Trust me though, it is really easy and comes together nicely. I wish I could have gotten a side photo of a slice so that you could see the layers. Next time. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

Note: I recommend using chocolate fudge for sundaes rather than chocolate syrup. Syrup is soupy and doesn’t give you the fudgy quality needed. Just my two cents.

INGREDIENTS
2 c crushed graham crackers
1/2 c butter
1 1/4 c sugar divided
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
3 bananas
1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla Jell-O pudding
1 c milk
1 pint heavy whipping cream
chocolate fudge sundae topping
1/2 c chopped pecans
small jar maraschino cherries

STEPS

  • In a bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and a 1/2 cup of the sugar.
  • Press graham cracker mixture into bottom and up sides of a pie dish using the backside of a large spoon or rubber spatula.
  • Put in the freezer for a couple of minutes to set.
  • While your piecrust is setting beat together the cream cheese, vanilla, and a 1/2 cup of the sugar using an electric mixer until smooth.
  • Carefully spread the cream cheese mixture into the bottom of your piecrust.
  • Drain your pineapple juice into a bowl.
  • Put the drained pineapple in an even layer on top of the cream cheese mixture.
  • Slice your bananas into the bowl with the pineapple juice and gently toss. (The acid from the pineapple juice keeps your bananas from browning. This is a great trick for fruit salads too!)
  • Drain the remaining juice from the bananas and arrange the slices over the pineapple.
  • Place pie back in freezer.
  • In a large mixing bowl prepare your whip cream by mixing the whipping cream and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar using a hand mixer. Mix on high speed for 2–3 minutes or until nice and thick. Set aside.
  • In another bowl mix the dry Jell-O pudding and the milk using a wire whisk until smooth.
  • Add about half of your whip cream into the pudding mixture and stir.
  • Spread your pudding mixture over the banana layer.
  • Top your pie with the remaining whip cream.
  • Drizzle chocolate fudge over whip cream layer.
  • Top with chopped pecans and cherries.
  • Refrigerate for at least 5 hours or preferably overnight.

Enjoy!

Dinners

Recipe—Crock-Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu

Diva di Cucina

The crock-pot is a fabulous invention that I don’t utilize enough. What’s not to love about a simple appliance that has dinner ready for you when you get home from a long day at work? Being a working mom I am always looking for quick and delicious dinner recipes to feed my family. This recipe is so easy to put together and it fills your house with such a wonderful smell. Your mouth will be watering as soon as you walk through the door. I love the salty flavor of the ham with the creamy melted Swiss cheese. The slow cooked chicken breast is moist and just falls apart. This certainly has the same flavors as the real deal but is so much easier to make.

Note: If your croutons don’t maintain a crunchy texture, transfer the chicken to an oven safe dish when it is done in the crock-pot and finish the chicken breast off under the broiler for 2–3 minutes. For a low carb alternative just skip the crushed croutons. 

INGREDIENTS
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
10.75 oz can cream of chicken soup
3/4 c milk
8 slices of ham
1 c Swiss cheese, shredded
1 c croutons, crushed
1/4 c butter, melted

STEPS

  • In a small bowl mix together the cream of chicken soup and milk.
  • Pour enough of the soup mixture into your crock-pot to cover the bottom.
  • Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the crock-pot and drizzle with additional sauce. (I had some leftover.)
  • Fold slices of ham in half and put two slices on top of each chicken breast.
  • Cover the ham with the shredded Swiss.
  • Sprinkle the crushed croutons over the top.
  • Drizzle with melted butter.
  • Cover, and cook on low heat for 4–6 hours, or on high heat for 2–3 hours. Be sure your thermometer reads 160º when stuck in the thickest part of the chicken breast.

Soups

Recipe—Creamy Turkey Noodle Soup

Diva di Cucina

The other day my poor hubby was down with a nasty cold and I wanted to whip him up some sort of soup with my left over rotisserie turkey breast to make him feel better. (This recipe would be just as wonderful with cooked chicken if that’s what you have on hand.) Normally I just make my turkey soup with a broth base, some vegetables, and noodles but since it was a rainy day I thought something rich and creamy would hit the spot. This was sort of an experiment but it really turned out great! I went a little heavy on the cayenne pepper but it gave it a nice kick. The cream balanced out the heat very nicely. One thing I love about this soup recipe is that it was done in under a half hour. It is not one of those soup recipes that has to simmer for hours. Next time I think I might try to substitute the pasta for some homemade dumplings just to mix it up. Mmmmm…

Note: For a delicious turkey alfredo pasta bake, use 5 cups of uncooked noodles instead of 2 and follow the rest of the recipe as usual. The pasta will soak up most of the liquid. When your pasta is cooked al dente, probably about 10 minutes, remove from heat and put in a large baking dish. (The pasta will finish cooking while baking in the oven.) Top pasta with breadcrumbs and bake for 10 minutes at 350º. Wellah! We have a two for one recipe. Also, feel free to substitute the veggies for whatever you have on hand. I’m sure corn or green beans would be fabulous additions.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 c butter
2 large carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c flour
5 c chicken or turkey broth, divided
2 c cream
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
dash cayenne pepper
3 c chopped cooked turkey
2 c uncooked rotini noodles
1/4 c fresh chopped parsley

STEPS

  • Sauté carrots, celery, onions, and garlic in butter until soft.
  • Add flour and mix well.
  • Gradually add 2 cups of the broth and all of the cream.
  • Cook over medium high heat until it’s thick and bubbly, 12–14 minutes.
  • Stir in remaining 3 cups broth, and all remaining ingredients except parsley.
  • Simmer for 11–13 minutes stirring occasionally until noodles are tender.
  • Stir in chopped parsley and serve.
Dinners

Recipe—Melt in Your Mouth Italian Meatballs

Diva di Cucina

What’s not to love about a big heaping pile of spaghetti topped with fresh parmesan cheese and some giant meatballs? It’s a hit with people of all ages and this is one of my family faves. These meatballs are so juicy and savory that you just won’t be able to get enough of them. I love them smothered in sauce or just by themselves. The Italian flavor really comes through and is better than you can imagine. This recipe is incredibly easy to make and practically foolproof. Not only are these phenomenal over your favorite pasta with marinara but are also awesome sliced up on pizza or in a meatball sub with mozzarella cheese melted over the top. My mouth is seriously watering as I write this and I just had them two nights ago. You really won’t be able to get enough and your family will be fighting for the leftovers if there are any. This recipe yields approximately 20 1 1/2″ meatballs .

There are three methods for cooking these meatballs. I prefer to bake them so that I am not getting as much grease from the meat. This is how the recipe is written. However, for extra tender meatballs you can cook them in the pasta sauce on the stovetop or in a crock-pot. See instructions for additional cooking methods at the end of the recipe.

Note: This recipe calls for 1/2 lb of Italian sausage, which is typically sold by the whole pound. I always double the recipe and freeze the extra meatballs for this reason. They freeze incredibly well and we can get about 3 dinners worth out of them. If you would like to freeze them follow the recipe as written. Place the cooked meatballs on a wax paper lined cookie sheet making sure they don’t touch and put them in the freezer overnight. Once the balls are frozen distribute them into freezer bags. To reheat I just put defrosted balls directly into my pot of sauce and allow them to simmer for 15–20 minutes or long enough to heat through.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb Italian sausage
1 large egg
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c breadcrumbs
2 tbsp fresh minced garlic
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 c milk
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 350º.
  • Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl being sure that everything is evenly distributed.
  • Using an oversized spoon scoop about a ¼ cup worth of the meat mixture and shape into round meatballs. (Mine end up being about 1 1/4″–1 1/2″ in diameter.)
  • Place the formed meatballs in a large baking dish.
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through.

Method for cooking on the stove top: For this cooking method drop the uncooked meatballs into a pot of simmering sauce and do not stir for at least 20 minutes or the balls may break apart. After 20 minutes give the balls and the sauce a gentle stir and cook for an additional 20 minutes while simmering on medium-low heat and stirring occasionally.

Method for cooking in the crock-pot: Gently place your uncooked meatballs in the bottom of the crock-pot and pour the sauce over the top. Cook on low for 7–8 hours.

See my marinara recipe here for a great pairing with these meatballs: https://divadicucina.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/67/

Dinners

Recipe—Creamy Beef Stroganoff

Diva di Cucina

During the cold winter months I am a glutton for comfort foods. One of my favorite comfort foods is a big serving of rich and creamy beef stroganoff. Beef stroganoff is a traditional Russian dish typically made up of pieces of beef in a sour cream based sauce. I love that this recipe is not only delicious, but also really quick and easy. And what’s not appealing about a dinner that can be made in one pot? This makes after dinner dishes and cleanup a breeze. Beef stroganoff is filling and the leftovers are just as good as the night you made it.

Note: Be sure you use thinly sliced beef so that it doesn’t become tough.

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp olive oil
1 c chopped onion
2 c sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb beef sirloin steak, thinly sliced
2 tbsp flour
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 (14 1/2 oz) can beef broth
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp paprika
12 oz bag egg noodles, uncooked
1 1/2 c water
3/4 c sour cream

STEPS

  • Heat oil in large deep skillet or Dutch oven.
  • Sauté onion, mushrooms, and garlic until tender.
  • Add meat and cook until browned, stirring frequently.
  • Mix in flour.
  • Stir in peppers, beef broth, mustard, and paprika and bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Add noodles and water and again bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in sour cream and cook for an additional minute heating through.