It’s rainy and cold here today – we’ve gone from 60-70 degrees on Tuesday to much cooler temperatures today. I thought I’d share some of my favorite recipes for comfort foods for cold, blustery days like today. Some of these are crock-pot recipes and some are stovetop, although quite a few of the stovetop ones I’ve done in the crock pot as well. These are old standby recipes that I turn to again and again for something warm, hearty and filling for my family. An added bonus is that with most of them I can sneak some veggies in without too much protesting from the troops.
Beef Stew: This recipe originated from one of those little recipe books you pick up at the checkout in the grocery store. I’ve tweaked it and made it my own and we love it. It’s also great for feeding a crowd. I usually make this in the crock pot but there is no reason why you couldn’t simmer it on the stove if you don’t have a crock pot.
Pasta Fagioli: This is one of my all-time favorites. It just screams “Italian comfort food” to me. It’s super-easy and can be done in the crock pot or on the stovetop.
French Onion Soup: I don’t know about you, but a rainy, cold day is just perfect for a big bowl of French Onion soup. My girls have not yet learned to appreciate this soup, so we don’t get to eat it around here as frequently as I’d like to. But it is always something I order when I’m traveling for work. It makes me feel warm and cozy when I eat it and it’s great for sipping while watching TV in a hotel room. I saw this recipe on a recent episode of Cooks Country (one of my all-time favorite cooking shows – they are the real deal when it comes to cooking shows) and I am thinking I might try it soon. Love the fact that it is slow-cooker friendly.
Chili should be on the list, too, and a good white chicken chili is another recipe I love to make in the cool weather.
My hearty beef chili is another family favorite and I usually serve it with elbow noodles on the side so that the Little Bit can have “chili mac” that she loves. (Here’s my veggie chili recipe just to round out the offerings)
And, of course, you always need a good vegetable soup recipe. This one I call “clean out the crisper” soup because I never know what I’m going to throw in there – it just depends on what I have that needs to get cooked in my veggie drawer. It’s great for using up leftovers and always tastes so good.
If you are Southern, then you know a comfort food list is not complete without a recipe for Chicken & Dumplings. As a matter of fact, I’ve got a hankering for these. Might just make some this week.
Finally, my favorite Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe. I love the chili-chicken-ness of it and the fact that you can eat it with tortilla chips or all by itself. If you’re not a fan of Velveeta, here’s another tortilla soup recipe (my original one) without the extra cheese.
I hope these recipes help when you’re on the hunt for something warm and tasty for your family. What sorts of comfort foods do you gravitate towards in the wintertime?
Thoughts Along Life's Highway 
Thanks for all the great recipes. Some of these are my favourites!
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