Comfort food. We all have that short list of things that are culinary tranquilizers. For me, a baked potato with meat loaf, creamy potato salad with scallions, a chocolate cake — made with cocoa of course — and topped with a fudgy frosting, …
I would like to extend my list of comfort foods and have more things that are tempting, yet easy, and have the potential to draw me back and back over the years.
Better Homes and Gardens has just published 365 Comfort Foods. There are, truly, 365 ideas here to bring you smiles and that warm inner glow that only a “favorite” food can inspire. Here you’ll find lots, well 365, of ideas to sample including:
- Creamy and Comforting Corn Chowder
- Overnight Three-Grain Waffles
- Overnight Coffee Cake
- Baked Potato Soup
- Chicken Soup with Chive Dumplings
- Beer-Braised Beef Short Ribs
- Loaded Creamed Corn with Tomato and Bacon
- Orange Glazed Carrots and Parsnips
- Pecan Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Sautéed Apples and Sweet Potatoes
- Buttermilk Brined Fried Chicken
- Layered Turkey Enchiladas
- Apple, Bacon and Leek Stuffing
- BLT Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
- Best Ever Chocolate Cake [made with cocoa!]
The ideas here are often first cousins to favorites you may already have. But now, these recipes often include a twist to give you a new delight. Like that BLT Salad with Buttermilk Dressing. The Orange Glazed Carrots and Parsnips are perfect for a holiday table. And the Layered Turkey Enchiladas may just become your standard dish for turkey leftovers the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Some of the recipes are simple, some take a little time and a few more ingredients. But, the time and effort are surely worthwhile. The Pecan Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Sautéed apples and Sweet Potatoes is a magnificent dish — you’ll think about eating the photo when you see it. Suzen and I are planning it for this weekend’s dinner!
All the recipes here have the essential quality of comfort food: mouth appeal that barks out at you right from the page. I encourage you to take a peek at 365 Comfort Foods. Scan those recipes. Just see if you have the power to put that book back on the shelves. Or, will you clutch it, pay for it of course, and dash back home, find the cocoa and begin with the Best Ever Chocolate Cake.
I do hope you enjoy every last bite.