Our Favorite Comfort Food Recipes for Cold Winter Days

Turkey Pot Pie

Cooking time: 1 hour

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 cups turkey breast, shredded
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon shallot, minced
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 2 leeks, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/3 cup flour
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 1 sheet of puff pastry
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine turkey, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lemon zest, parsley and shallots, lemon zest.
3. In a dutch oven, pour in 1 tablespoon of melted butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
4. Add the mushrooms into the dutch oven, and sauté over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Move the mushrooms to a separate bowl.
5. Clean the dutch oven, and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat over medium, then cook the leeks, carrots, and thyme until soft.
6. Pour the flour into the mixture and stir for 1 minute.
7. Add in the chicken broth and heavy cream, and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes to thicken. Remove the mixture from the heat and cool completely.
8. Combine the leek mixture with the turkey mixture, frozen peas, and mushrooms, stirring until completely mixed together. Pour the mixture evenly into four mini-loaf pans.
9. Thaw a sheet of puff pastry, then cut it into four pieces that will cover each pan with a 1/2-inch overhang.
10. Place each pastry on to a pan, then crimp around the edges with your fingers or a fork.
11. Brush the top of each pastry with egg, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Let each pie cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Photo source: My Baking Addiction

Cooking time: 2 hours

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 7 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
2. On a lined baking sheet, arrange washed sweet potatoes and prick them with a fork.
3. Bake the potatoes for up to 1 and 1/2 hours until soft. Cool potatoes.
4. Lower oven temperature to 325° Fahrenheit.
5. Butter a 9-inch by 9-inch glass casserole dish.
6. In a large mixing bowl, scoop out the insides of each potato and mash thoroughly.
7. Add in sugar, beaten eggs, salt, cinnamon, 4 tablespoons of butter, milk and vanilla. Mix well.
8. Spoon the mixture into the glass casserole dish, and set aside.
9. In another mixing bowl, combine brown sugar and flour. Mix well.
10. Cut 3 tablespoons of butter into the mixture with a pastry cutter until coarse.
11. Add in the chopped pecans, and sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture.
12. Bake for 30-40 minutes until slightly golden brown.

Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Photo source: Divas Can Cook

Cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

• 3 cups macaroni, uncooked
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• Salt
• Pepper
• Paprika
• 1 cup smoked cheddar cheese, shredded
• 8 oz. Velveeta, shredded
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Monteray jack cheese, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
2. In a pot, cook macaroni until al dente. Do not overcook. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine milk, heavy cream and all the cheeses except the smoked cheddar. Mix well.
4. Add salt, pepper, and paprika to taste.
5. Add in the beaten eggs, and stir until combined.
6. Butter a 9-inch by 9-inch glass baking dish.
7. Fill the baking dish with the cooked macaroni, then pour the cheese mixture over the top.
8. Sprinkle the smoked cheddar cheese of the top, along with more paprika and pepper.
9. Bake for 35-45 minutes, then cool for 10-15 minutes.

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

Photo source: Table for Two Blog

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
• 16 ounces Colby Jack cheese, grated
• 1 pound frozen shredded hash browns

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
2. Butter a 3 quart glass casserole dish.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine melted butter, salt, pepper, chopped onion, soup, and cheese. Mix well.
4. Add in the thawed hashbrowns and stir until combined.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.

Nutella Hazelnut Chocolate Truffles

Photo source: Sweetest Menu

Cooking time: 3 hours

Serves: 16

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup Nutella
• 1 cup skinless hazelnuts

Directions:

1. In a small mixing bowl, finely chop the dark chocolate.
2. In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream over low heat until warm, then pour it over the dark chocolate. Allow the mixture to sit for 2 minutes.
3. Whisk the mixture to combine well, then add in the Nutella as you whisk.
4. Pour the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
5. Chop or crush hazelnuts into fine crumbs.
6. Using a cookie scoop, scoop out balls from the chilled chocolate mixture, then roll each ball around in the hazelnut crumbs.

Looking for a few more delicious and nutritious comfort food recipes to soothe your sweet cravings? Check out these top 10 treats to satisfy any sweet tooth.

Featured photo source: Food52