What comes to your mind when you think about comfort food? Is it something warm, sweet, richly flavored or is it something that brings back warm, fond memories; family dinners around the table, maybe a special dinner with that special someone. Whatever it is that warms you up on the inside, makes you feel good all over, I think you'll agree that my top 10 all time favorites should be on any comfort food list. You'll notice a theme going on here too. See if you can figure that one out.
Meatloaf is definitely on my list. My mom's recipe is at the top of the list and it still remains one of my favorite meatloaf recipes.
Mom's Best Meatloaf
Just to mix it up a little I included another favorite meatloaf recipe. I hope it warms you up.
Meatloaf with Scallions and Herbs
Mashed Potatoes
Add mashed potatoes to just about anything and you have a meal that will make you feel relaxed and satisfied and that is Comfort Food at its best. I've even been know to eat nothing but mashed potatoes for dinner!
Traditional Mashed Potatoes
Beef Stew
Another truly fabulous Comfort Food is any type of beef stew. There are many recipes but one of my favorites is beef bourguignon
Mac and Cheese
A top 10 Comfort food list wouldn't be complete with out Mac and Cheese. Again there are so many recipes it is mind boggling. Dennis made this recipe one night and it had to be the best Mac and Cheese I've ever eaten.
Chicken and Dumplings take me back to days in the kitchen with Granny Kate. She was a fantastic cook and she taught me a lot. One of the lessons was how to make slicks Chicken and Dumplings
Most comfort food lists include a good bowl of spicy Chili. There are so many recipes out there but here is one that is easy to make and good enough to be on my top ten list!
Chili will certainly warm you up on a cold winter night. Everyone loves a good bowl of chili.
Apple Cobbler This recipe comes to mind probably because I remember having cobblers as a kid. We weren't allowed to have sweets very often since my dad is a dentist he was always trying to keep us out of the dental chair. But even he couldn't resist mom's apple cobblers, using apples right off his apple tree. And naturally I married someone who also loves apple desserts.
Apple Cobbler
Even the best Comfort Food needs a comfort drink and I will defer to Dennis for his favorite which happens to be Hot Chocolate
This doesn't really call for a recipe. He uses a good quality hot chocolate mix, heats it with milk in the microwave and adds mini marshmallows. It warms you up from the inside out on a cold winter night. I am not into hot chocolate but love steamed milk. My favorite is with Amaretto and vanilla.
A good Grilled Cheese Sandwich is a must on the list! I use a good quality loaf bread, two slices of American cheese and a little butter for the skillet. There are a lot of recipes that include this or that but this is the basic. Make a sandwich with the cheese in the middle, melt a little butter in the skillet and toast bread on both sides. You can add bacon, ham or even slices of tomato in with the cheese. If you are looking for creativity, think of other foods that you like to add cheese to. For example, eggs, chopped broccoli and even a good slice of avocado. Change the cheese to create your very own special grilled cheese sandwich.
Who doesn't like Spaghetti? I've never seen anyone turn down a steaming hot bowl of pasta and delicious sauce. So Spaghetti has to be on the list. It is a great go to recipe when you want something quick and comforting. There are so many recipes for spaghetti that I decided to give you a basic recipe that you can add your favorite ingredients to depending on what you like.
Last but not least is Fried Chicken. I always think of Granny Mae anytime I think about fried chicken. She was the master fryer and her recipe shows the love.
Granny Mae's Fried Chicken