We first published this post at a time the world was hurting so many hearts — the pandemic, politics, wildfires — and here we are again, the same time of year, turning to food for a bit of “normal.” I am planning to start baking homemade bread again (these yeast bread recipes are fantastic even for beginners!), and plan out these five dishes for dinner, each designed to provide a warm hug from the inside out. Hopefully you’ll find some good choices for your family too and I’ve included some alternates as well.
Every single one of us is dealing with so much right now, let alone looking out for our kids’ mental health and overall well-being. Cooking aside, be kind and patient with yourself and be sure to manage your own stress. It’s okay to be human.
And hey, remember there is not one thing wrong with throwing your entire meal plan out the window and ordering take-out or grabbing something pre-made. A single rotisserie chicken can provide plenty of nights of belly-warming meals — and there’s no shame in that.
Pasta, Of Course
Craving pasta? You’re not alone. This list of 11 easy and super fast pasta recipes you can make in minutes, is an excellent list to bookmark right now. But I have to highlight the recipe for Schinkennudeln (Ham & Cheese Pasta) from What’s Gaby Cooking, shown above. It’s so easy and so good that it’s is my son’s most requested meal. A big bowl of pasta is pretty much like getting a warm hug.
Alternate Recipes: 7 fall pasta salad recipes that are are perfect, even when the temperature drops
Butter Chicken
Butter Chicken is a favorite comfort food around my home, so I’m thrilled to find this recipe for Butter Cauliflower from Jaime at Dishing Out Health. It’s a comfort food twist that’s great if you are a fan of Meatless Monday, and terrific over rice, quinoa or one of these 5 kid-friendly grains. My tip: Don’t be overwhelmed by the recipe’s long list of ingredients – you probably have most of them in your pantry already and garam masala is handy to have for all kinds of uses.
Alternate Recipes: Try these 8 Curry Recipes that are better than take-out
Massive Burritos
One of my favorite comfort foods when I was pregnant was the 7-layer Burrito from Taco Bell and as the kids got older, it became one of those late evening drive-thru dinners we looked forward to after the kids’ sports practices. Since it’s been gone, I found this amazing 7 Layer Burrito Taco Bell copycat recipe from Honey, What’s Cooking and now I make them at home for a nostalgic Taco Tuesday dinner. Alternate Recipes: Spice things up with these 8 flavor-packed Mexican dinner recipes that aren’t tacos.
A Favorite Family Heirloom Recipe
Our co-founder Kristen shared this beautiful personal essay about her mother’s Pepper Steak on The Kitchn and I can not wait to make it. Bringing your own family recipe into a tough week is a sure way to make dinner time that much more filled with love. (Photo Credit: Joe Lingeman | Food Stylist: Cyd McDowell)
Alternate Recipes: 5 easy dinner ideas for the family including our favorite fall comfort food classics
A Cheesy Casserole
A warm bubbly casserole has always been comfort food for me, so you can see why I was drawn to this dinner recipe for Doritos Chicken Casserole from Call Me PMC. I’m guessing my teens aren’t the only ones who squealed when they saw their favorite chips…for dinner. Balance out the creaminess by serving with a big green salad. Alternate Recipes: 7 amazing nachos recipes that will turn every day into nacho day
Homemade Hot Chocolate
From time to time, we all need to take a moment to just stop and re-center, and treat ourselves in some way. It’s nice when a favorite recipe can be a part of that. My suggestion is to gather the kiddos and whip up a batch of homemade hot chocolate from scratch together. It’s really so easy. Then grab a board game, or turn on a good movie, snuggle up with together (if they let you) and just…breathe and be grateful for one another.
Top image: Bruno Thethe on Unsplash
