I’m a hungry mama and winter definitely brings more cravings than my pregnancy did! When it’s cold out and I’m inside trying to stay warm, my body screams for tasty comforting dishes to help fight the winter blues. Crunchy Mac & Cheese, Classic Chicken Pot Pie, Meatloaf Muffins and Creamy Broccoli Pie are just a few of the dishes I have been making in my search for the ultimate comfort food. Whip up one of these tasty dishes and dig in!
Crunchy Mac & Cheese: This dish is a fave of both adults and children for it’s creamy goodness. If you want to make it a healthier meal for the family, throw in broccoli or cauliflower after mixing the cheese in, right before baking it with the crumb topping.
Ingredients: 1 box of medium sized shells, cooked and drained 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp flour 2 cups of whole milk 1 tsp ground mustard salt and pepper to taste 2 cups grated cheese, mix of cheddar and mozzarella 1/2 cup of fine panko crumbs 1/2 cup of Parmesan grated cheese
Directions: First melt butter. Once bubbly add flour and mix until golden, then slowly add milk, stirring until thickens. Once thick, remove from heat and add mustard, salt and pepper and cheese. Mix well, then add pasta mixing until all combined. Place pasta in a baking dish and top with the panko crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Bake on 350° for about 20 minutes until crust is crispy and cheese is bubbling.
Classic Chicken Pot Pie: My husband loves chicken potpie, however, his only reference for it is the frozen kind you find at the supermarket! I knew I had to remedy that and so I called my sister Tova for her easy, classic recipe for creamy chicken potpie. She uses leftovers from her soup on Sunday night. I never have leftover soup after Shabbos, so I cooked chicken breast cut into cubes and used a frozen veggie mix. If you don’t like the classic veggie mix of peas, carrots and corn you can use broccoli, potatoes and sweet potatoes, cooked and cubed. Also, if pressed for time you can throw the mixture into a ready-made deep-dish piecrust and top with puff pastry.
Ingredients: 1 onion, diced 1 lb. of boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes 1 frozen package of classic mixed vegetables, thawed 1 cup of chopped celery, (about 4 sticks) 3 cups chicken broth 1/3 cup flour 1 sheet of Puff Pastry
Directions: Saute onion, then add chicken cooking until its no longer pink. Remove from heat and set aside. Then add veggie mix and celery to pan and sauté for several minutes before adding the chicken back to the pan. Add broth and flour, and combine well. Season with salt and pepper. If you want to make the sauce thicker, simply add more flour. Place the chicken and veggie mix into baking dish, top with pastry dough and cook on 350° for 20 – 35 minutes until filling is bubbly and crust is golden brown.
Mini Meatloaf Muffins: My sister in law Sarrit makes this recipe in the form of a loaf, however I wanted to serve it as muffins so everyone could grab their own. (Also, I adore all mini foods!)
Ingredients: 1/2 heaping cup of ketchup 1/3 cup light brown sugar 1 TBSP lemon juice 1 tsp ground mustard 1 lb ground beef 1 cup plain breadcrumbs 2 TBSP dried minced onion 1/2 cup egg substitute (or 2 eggs) 1 tsp beef soup powder 3 tsp chopped garlic garlic powder onion powder pepper
Directions: Preheat oven to 350° degrees. Combine the first 4 ingredients (before ground beef) in a bowl. Combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, minced onion, egg substitute, beef soup powder, chopped garlic, spices, and 1/3 of the ketchup mixture in a large mixing bowl. Place meatloaf mixture into two muffin pans (will make about 12 muffins). Coat top of muffins with remaining ketchup mixture and bake for 20 – 30 minutes.
Creamy Broccoli Pie: My sister Tova is one of my biggest inspirations in the kitchen. I am always amazed at how quickly she can throw together a gourmet dinner and still have time to bake cinnamon buns or some other delicious treat for dessert! She gave me this recipe several years ago and I make it at least twice a month for Shabbat dinner.
Ingredients: 1 frozen pie crust 1 bunch of broccoli or a box of frozen broccoli 1/2 cup of mayo 3 eggs beaten salt & pepper to taste 1/2 cup corn flake crumbs
