Our top 10 recipes of 2020 are, fittingly, full of comfort - The Washington Post

Kasper
Home

Our top 10 recipes of 2020 are, fittingly, full of comfort - The Washington Post

Our top 10 recipes of 2020 are, fittingly, full of comfort - The Washington Post

Posted: 15 Dec 2020 07:00 AM PST

That makes sense in a pandemic, when so many of us have been staying home and looking for ways to find solace in the kitchen, if and when we can. So, perhaps unsurprisingly, our readers turned to what you could call the Big Four of Comfort — soup, carbs (bread! pasta! pizza!), chicken and cheese. Almost all of these dishes are well-suited to cold-weather meals, which makes the end of the year a perfect time to revisit them.

And now, let the countdown begin.

10. Mosca's Chicken a la Grande. Recipes editor Ann Maloney turned to her hometown of New Orleans for fond memories and a great meal, and the result was this garlicky, herb-packed dinner that she calls "sublime."

8. Lemon-Butter Pasta with Parmesan. More cheese and carbs? Check and check. This six-ingredient (two are salt and pepper), pantry-friendly dinner perfectly balances zesty lemon and rich butter.

7. Dahi Toast (Grilled Yogurt Sandwiches). Here's a crunchy, cooling and meatless meal inspired by what "Great British Bake Off" contestant and cookbook author Chetna Makan would have in her lunchbox growing up in India.

6. Wine-Braised Chicken With Mushrooms. This one-pan recipe is close to my heart — and now to many readers' as well, based on the feedback I've received since it ran. I did some updating to my grandmother's original formula, and the reward is a tender, rich braise just made for serving with good bread.

5. No-Knead English Muffins. Time is the most important ingredient in these beautifully textured English muffins that feature whole-wheat flour tempered with a bit of honey. The outstanding recipe comes from cookbook author Stella Parks.

3. Mexican-Style Shrimp Casserole. Make Ann's recipe as written for a warm tray of comfort, or riff on it using what you have. It's a pantry-friendly option: The protein, sauce and cheese are all up for interpretation.

2. Stove-Top Naan. Having the well-known Indian bread at home used to mean takeout or a trip to the freezer aisle, but no longer, now that I've nailed this recipe. This naan is risen with baking powder and cooked in a cast-iron skillet.

1. Greek Lentil and Spinach Soup With Lemon. Our most popular recipe of 2020 by a huge margin, this hearty but bright soup is so delicious and comforting that one nurse has eaten it every workday for 17 years. Given the numbers, we wouldn't be surprised if some of you will, too.

6 must-try recipes from Buff families | Health & Wellness Services - CU Boulder Today

Posted: 14 Dec 2020 09:40 AM PST

Student cooking in an apron on her stove

Each year our Buff families share their most prized family recipes as part of our Taste of Home event. These recipes are a reminder of how important it is to connect with loved ones, spend time on ourselves and connect with our traditions. Try out some of these Buff-approved recipes this winter!

Have a recipe you want to share?
Submit your recipe or photos to include in the 2020-2021 Taste of Home Cookbook!

Submit your recipe

Breakfast

Whether you're an early bird or a brunch connoisseur, these breakfast recipes are sure to satisfy. Just don't forget your coffee or tea!

Strawberry, banana and nutella crepe

STRAWBERRY NUTELLA CREPE   |   From the kitchen of Paula Borg

​

INGREDIENTS

  • ¼ cup sliced strawberries (or fruit of choice)
  • Nutella (to taste)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp flour
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1 tbsp whipped cream to top

DIRECTIONS

1. Slice fruit and put aside.

2. Mix egg, four, sugar, milk and chill for 30 minutes.

3. Butter frying pan, pour crepe mix in pan, let set for about 1 minute, while swirling around to set the mixture.

4. Remove crepe, spread nutella and cover with fruit.

5. Fold in half then again, top with whipped cream.

Biscuits and gravy

GRANDMA BURKE'S BISCUITS AND GRAVY   |   From the kitchen of Bridget Child

​

INGREDIENTS

  • 8–10 Bisquick biscuits (prepared according to package with additional ½ c. melted butter and 2 tsp. salt and pepper)
  • 8 links of hot Italian sausage
  • 1½ sticks of butter
  • 6 c. of 2% milk
  • ¼ c flour
  • 3 tbsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. pepper
  • 2 tbsp. Emeril's seasonings

DIRECTIONS

1. Remove sausage casings and brown in a skillet. Do not drain! 

2. Add butter, then spices.

3. Make a slurry with ½ c. milk and flour and pour in (add more flour and milk if gravy is still very thin). 

4. Add the rest of the milk. 

5. Heat on medium to slow boil, constantly stirring. 

6. Put the cut biscuit in the bottom of a bowl and ladle the gravy on top.

Lunch and Dinner

Enjoy a relaxing winter break with a side of comfort food. These lunch and dinner recipes are a great way to treat yourself, family or some very lucky roommates.

Chicken cutlet curry

CUTLET (AND) CURRY RICE   |   From the kitchen of Wai Yin Chow

​

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 boneless chicken breasts (cut to bite size, optional)
  • ½ box of Japanese curry cubes or sauce
  • 4 onions, diced (1 lb)
  • 4 potatoes, diced (1 lb)
  • 4 carrots (1 lb)
  • 6 c. Water (for gravy-like consistency)

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare rice, follow instructions on the box.

2. Boil onions, potatoes and carrots in water until soft, around 15 minutes on low heat.

3. If using meat, (it is optional) brown it with a little oil.

4. Add curry sauce or cubes to the vegetables (break up cubes to help them dissolve).

5. Pan fry, deep fry or air-fry cutlets and serve with the curry sauce and rice.

Baked macaroni and cheese

BAKED MACARONI & CHEESE   |   From the kitchen of Martha Musto

​

INGREDIENTS

  • 2½ c.dry elbow macaroni
  • 3 c. whole milk
  • 5 tbsp. butter
  • ¾ c. bread crumbs (about 2 slices firm white bread)
  • ¼ c. flour
  • ¾ tsp. salt
  • ⅛ tsp. nutmeg
  • Tabasco sauce (to taste)
  • 4 c. grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. 

2. Butter or spray a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.

3. Cook pasta according to instructions. Drain when finished.

4. In the meanwhile, heat milk in a saucepan to just below simmer.

5. In another saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Pour 1 tbsp. butter into a small bowl, add bread crumbs and toss together; set aside.

6. Add flour to the remaining butter in the saucepan and whisk over the heat for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and continue stirring until the mixture thickens and comes to a simmer. 

7. Whisk in salt, nutmeg, Tabasco and 2 cups of the cheese. Add the cheese sauce and mix together thoroughly with cooked pasta.

8. Spread ⅓ of the pasta mixture over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Scatter ⅓ of the remaining cheese on top. Repeat, finishing with bread crumbs.

9. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

Desserts

Let your inner baker shine with these tried and true sweet treats! 

Gingerbread cookies in the shape of stars

HONEY GINGERBREAD COOKIES   |   From the kitchen of Debra Krizmanich

​

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ c. sugar
  • 3 c. sifted all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 tbsp. powdered ginger
  • 2 tbsp. cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. powdered cloves
  • ½ tsp. powdered nutmeg
  • ½ lb. butter or margarine cut into dots
  • ½ c. honey

DIRECTIONS

1. Sift sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg together in a bowl.

2. Work in butter and then honey.

3. Refrigerate if possible then roll out dough to ⅛-inch thick on a floured board or between sheets of waxed paper and cut into desired shapes.

4. Bake regular size cookies about 12 minutes at 375 degrees.

5. After a minute, remove from cookie sheets and cool on wire racks. Do not overbake, but if you do they are good for dunking in milk

Muffins cooling on a cooling rack

DARK CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN MUFFINS   |   From the kitchen of Susan Day

​

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 c. flour
  • 1 tbsp. and 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1½ tsp. salt
  • 3 c. sugar
  • 1 small can (15 oz.) pumpkin
  • 4 eggs
  • ½ c. vegetable oil
  • ½ c. water or orange juice
  • ½ package of dark chocolate chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

2. Mix the dry ingredients together except for the chocolate chips.

3. Mix the wet ingredients together well. Stir both mixtures together. This can be easily done by hand but you can use an electric mixer.

4. Gently stir in dark chocolate chips (optional).

5. Fill muffin cups ¾ full. Sprinkle the tops with a couple chocolate chips if you want them to show.

6. Bake 25 mins or until done. Cool and seal in an airtight container to keep them moist.

Additional Resources

Medical Services offers Nutrition Services to all CU Boulder students. Learn how to address medical conditions, budget and meal plan, create healthy recipes and more. Virtual telehealth appointments are available to new and returning clients!

Learn more about Nutrition Services

Want to explore more delicious meals? Keep an eye out for our upcoming 2020-2021 Taste of Home Cookbook or check out our previous editions.

2017-2018 Cookbook  2018-2019 Cookbook  2019-2020 Cookbook

Simple recipes for cold weather - MVHS Oracle

Posted: 15 Dec 2020 10:02 AM PST

As the weather gets colder and fall is among us, it's always nice to escape the cold through warm comfort food. But as a person with limited cooking skills and patience, it can seem daunting to make food that is good and easy to make. 

With that being said, here are four easy and delicious recipes for the coming cool weather:

1.) Pumpkin Soup

Image courtesy of Getty Images

This soup is great for even the most amature cooks, as the most challenging part of the recipe is mixing the ingredients together! It's also a great way to get geared up for fall with the traditional pumpkin flavor of the soup. Taking a total of less than ten minutes to make, this is definitely a recipe worth trying out.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, grated

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 29-oz. canned pure pumpkin

2 14.5-oz. cans chicken broth (4 cups)

½ c. heavy cream 

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

¾ tsp. salt 

Directions:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stir for three  minutes or until soft.
  2. Stir in the pure pumpkin, chicken broth, cream, pumpkin pie spice, and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally for three  minutes or until soup simmers.
  3. Ladle it into bowls and top as desired. Store the leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

2.) Parsley Garlic Bread

Image courtesy of countryliving.com

This easy and quick recipe is great for a snack or appetizer when pressed for time, and the taste of warm fresh bread is sure to make you want to cozy up and refuge in warmth.

Ingredients:

4 thick slices country bread 

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 clove peeled garlic

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rub bread with olive oil, then garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown, six to eight minutes. Sprinkle with two Tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley.

3.) Mug Cake

Image courtesy of tastesbetterfromscratch.com

Most everyone likes a sweet slice of cake, however, it can be difficult and time-consuming to make. The perfect solution is mug cakes! They only take a total of six minutes before you are ready to enjoy a delicious warm sweet treat. The best part is that you can add almost any ingredient to the recipe to have different flavored cakes.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon baking powder

4 tablespoons milk (or dairy-free milk)

1 ½ tablespoons flavorless oil (sunflower, vegetable or coconut oil)

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon Funfetti sprinkles

Directions:

  1. In a microwavable mug whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking powder.
  2. Add in the milk, oil, and vanilla and mix until just combined. Stir in the sprinkles.
  3. Microwave for roughly 45 seconds – one minute, or until firm to the touch (timing is based on my microwave which is 1200 Watts so your timing may vary).
  4. Serve warm with frosting, ice cream or cream.

4.) Sugar Cookies

Image courtesy of delish.com

Like cakes and other desserts, it often takes a lot of time and ingredients to make an enjoyable treat. With these sugar cookies it only takes three ingredients and thirty minutes to be finished with delicious warm cookies.

Ingredients:

1 stick plus 2 tbsp. salted butter, softened

⅓ c. granulated sugar

1 c. all-purpose flour

Sprinkles

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325°. In a large bowl using a hand mixer beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then stir in flour.
  2. Form the cookies into one inch balls, placing them about two inches apart on a baking sheet. If using sprinkles, flatten cookies into a disc shape and top with sprinkles.
  3. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly golden.

This Quick Pasta Recipe Is a Roman Classic - The Wall Street Journal

Posted: 15 Dec 2020 09:05 AM PST

PASTA GO The sauce cooks down and cloaks the noodles as they finish together in the same pan.

Photo: CHELSIE CRAIG FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, FOOD STYLING BY PEARL JONES, PROP STYLING BY BETH PAKRADOONI
By Kitty Greenwald

The Chef: Rebecca Wilcomb

Illustration: Michael Hoeweler

Her Restaurant: Gianna in New Orleans

What She's Known For: Cooking that honors Italian grandmothers, including her own, for whom the restaurant is named. Pristine ingredients, the best local produce and Gulf seafood.

WHEN TOMATOES and pork fat come together in a particular way, it's magic—also known as all'Amatriciana, the classic Roman pasta sauce. Chef Rebecca Wilcomb of Gianna in New Orleans has spent a lifetime learning to appreciate the subtleties of this simple dish. "There should be balance between the fat and acid," she said. "The fat should shape the mouthfeel, and its smoky flavor should be in the background."

Ms. Wilcomb's second Slow Food Fast recipe is rooted in the version she grew up eating with her Italian-born mother as well those she found later while traveling in Italy. "My mom would use guanciale, pancetta or bacon," she said. "I like all three. Whatever you use, it should be really well marbled."

Good canned tomatoes make a difference, too, Ms. Wilcomb emphasized, because they won't impart a tinny taste. Long, hollow bucatini noodles stand up nicely to the rustic sauce and provide a nice bite. But if spaghetti is what you have, that works well too.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

Share your experience with this recipe—did you make any adaptations? How did you serve it? Join the conversation below.

The ingredient list is short—what any Italian nonna might stock in her pantry. At the stove, it comes together quickly. "What you want is a bold end result that's also restrained," Ms. Wilcomb said. "This is a humble dish that celebrates ingenuity."

To explore and search through all our recipes, check out the new WSJ Recipes page.

CHELSIE CRAIG FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, FOOD STYLING BY PEARL JONES, PROP STYLING BY BETH PAKRADOONI

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound bucatini or spaghetti
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup ¼-inch-diced guanciale, pancetta or bacon
  • 1 cup finely diced yellow onion
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • ¼ teaspoon chile flakes, plus more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes
  • ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
  • Freshly grated pecorino

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente, 10-12 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, set a large pan over medium heat and stir in olive oil and guanciale. Cook, stirring frequently, until guanciale's fat renders out and pieces begin to crisp, 3-4 minutes. Stir in onion and cook until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and chile flakes and cook until garlic is light golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and sauté until it colors the fat, about 1 minute more.
  3. Add canned tomatoes and oregano. Use a spoon to break tomatoes up into coarse, irregular bits. Simmer sauce until flavors meld but remain bright, 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Transfer cooked pasta from pot to pan with sauce, reserving pasta water in pot. Toss together pasta and sauce. If necessary, add splashes of reserved pasta water to stretch sauce so it cloaks pasta.
  5. To serve, top pasta with grated pecorino.

—Adapted from Rebecca Wilcomb

More in Food & Drink

Copyright ©2020 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8


from What to Cook https://ift.tt/2KqzvVo
google-playkhamsatmostaqltradent