Comfort Food Essentials E-Book

Kim Wilcox

• Herausgeber: Fox Chapel Publishing
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Seitenzahl: 188

Beschreibung

Nothing beats a warm, cozy meal, and Comfort Food Essentials is here to provide you with endless ideas for everyone's favorite kind of food! From breakfast, lunch, and dinner to sides, breads, desserts, and even toppings and condiments, this comfort food cookbook features over 100 hearty recipes the whole family is sure to love. Featuring recipes for chicken noodle soup, pizza, mac and cheese, meatloaf, chili, and so much more, each all-time favorite, down-home recipe is sure to warm your heart and soul as you gather around the table and dig in. Author Kim Wilcox is the owner of the popular family-owned restaurant It's All So Yummy in Knoxville, Tennessee. She is the author of The Great Book of Grilled Cheese and her recipes have also appeared in the best-selling title, The Ultimate Spam® Cookbook.

Leseprobe

© 2023 by Kim Wilcox and Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc., 903 Square Street, Mount Joy, PA 17552.

Comfort Food Essentials is an original work, first published in 2023 by Fox Chapel Publishing Company, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holders.

Photography by Chris Grove. Food styling by the author and Chris Grove.

Print ISBN 978-1-4971-0320-7eISBN 978-1-6374-1157-5

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023938670

To learn more about the other great books from Fox Chapel Publishing, or to find a retailer near you, call toll-free 800-457-9112 or visit us at www.FoxChapelPublishing.com.

We are always looking for talented authors. To submit an idea, please send a brief inquiry to [email protected].

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1: Tools and Tips

Cooking Utensils

Making Substitutions

Time-Honored Cooking Tips

RECIPES

CHAPTER 2: Breakfast Favorites

CHAPTER 3: Sweet and Savory Breads

CHAPTER 4: Satisfying Soups

CHAPTER 5: Hearty Sandwiches

CHAPTER 6: Childhood Comforts

CHAPTER 7: Memorable Main Dishes

CHAPTER 8: Delectable Desserts

CHAPTER 9: Beloved Beverages

CHAPTER 10: Favorites from My Chef Friends

RECIPE CONVERSIONS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTORS

Introduction

“Comfort food is the food that makes us feel good, satisfied, calm, cared for, and carefree. It’s food that fills us up emotionally and physically. Finding comfort in food is a basic human experience.”—Ellie Krieger

Decorating cookies is an annual family event. Someone was always the first and last one at the table: my daughter Sydney.

Comfort food is defined as “food prepared in a traditional style having a usually nostalgic or sentimental appeal.” As I see it, it’s not any specific food (although we all have our favorites). It’s food that reminds you of good times. Food that soothes your soul and mends broken hearts. Foods that are like a big warm hug when you need it most. It’s holiday gatherings, family tradition, and memories. Comfort food is any dish that truly makes you feel better. In this book, you’ll find recipes for food to set the soul at ease, including some of the most popular comfort foods like mac and cheese (here), spaghetti (here), chicken noodle soup (here), pizza (here), meatloaf (here), lasagna (here), homemade ice cream (here), and so many more ranging from conventional favorites to unexpected delights.

My restaurant is known for tried-and-true comfort food and grilled cheese (perhaps the ultimate comfort food), but many of my warmest memories are related to foods cooked by my mom and grandmothers. It wasn’t just the food they cooked; it was the comfort that it would bring us and the joy they had in making it for us. They would each add their own special touch to everything they prepared, whether it was my mom making sure we had dessert or grandma serving us in her threadbare apron.

My granddaughter Halo’s mom and dad both love to cook and she is always right there helping them.

The passing on of traditional family comfort food recipes is something that fills my heart with joy. It is important to me that my family have a record of our shared recipes and the stories and memories tied to them. Almost all of these dishes have been prepared for me when I was young, and I’ve subsequently made them for my own kids and grandkids. Whether it’s tweaking a family recipe in the restaurant and watching a customer savor that first delicious bite or teaching my grandkids to make the perfect cookies in my home kitchen, it’s the love behind a meal that creates the best flavor.

Comfort food is about sharing with others. It’s food that comes from the heart and spills out warmth and kindness to everyone who partakes. My hope is that you will enjoy these dishes as much as my family has!

—Kim

My grandson Bentley loves to help us out at the café! Here he is helping me roll dog treats! (We cater to our guests’ pets too!)

Sydney often talked Alley into pulling a chair up to the counter and joining her for a creative cooking afternoon!

My daughter Alley kissing a turkey! We have a family game we play where we dare each other to eat items left on the table. Alley won $5 for kissing the turkey!

Beautiful handwritten recipe cards add a special touch when cooking family favorites.

CHAPTER 1

Tools and Tips

The cooking process, whether you’re cooking as a family or simply preparing a meal to share, is part of the joy that makes something a comfort food in the first place! Your grandma’s favorite rolling pin is just one of the secret ingredients to creating her signature pie crust, for example. The tools we use and the family tips and traditions we follow all combine to create the shared experiences and joys provided by comfort food favorites.

Cooking Utensils

If you peek into any cook’s kitchen you are bound to find an assortment of their favorite tools of the trade. We all have those items that either make our adventure in the kitchen easier, more nostalgic, or both. For some it’s the latest gadgets and gizmos, for others it’s tools passed down through their family. Whatever you choose, it has to work for you and serve your culinary needs. A lot of my tools and décor were passed down from my family or are items that hold special memories for me. Here are a few of my favorite pieces to use.

Bundt Pans

Bundt pans were popularized in the 1950s and 1960s. Sadly, I don’t think that a lot of people make Bundt cakes anymore. Because I love all things nostalgic, I use them for a few cakes and for some breads that I make. You will see in the cookbook how I used them for my pull-apart breads (see here).

Cast Iron

My grandmother used cast iron to fry catfish, cook cornbread, and sauté okra. I use cast iron as much as I possibly can, as you will see in the recipes. I like the way well-seasoned cast iron cooks and how easy the cleanup is, and cast-iron cookware is very durable and has a nostalgic feel. I have a very large collection of cast iron that I am very proud of, and my children have already called dibs on it.

Spoon Rest

While spoon rests aren’t necessary, this particular spoon rest is the one my grandmother kept on her stove. When I see it, it makes me smile and brings back the sweetest memories of her in the kitchen.

Mason Jars

They’re not just for canning or pickling anymore! I use them all around my kitchen to store ingredients that I frequently use, colorful treats, cupcake wrappers, or toothpicks, to name only a few. I even use them as vases! It keeps things close by and I love the look of a mixed arrangement.

Hand Mixer

I think that every baker and cook aspires to own a countertop mixer. They are very handy, but never underestimate the hand mixer for smaller jobs. It is perfect for small-batch whipped cream, beating egg whites, or shredding.

Recipe Box

I keep most of my recipes in several binders full of plastic sleeves, but my absolute favorite, most frequently used recipes are in this box on my counter. I always know just where they are whenever I need them.

Chalkboard

Years ago, I painted a wall in my kitchen with chalkboard paint to help me keep track of my busy schedule. I’ve used it for grocery lists, recipes, and, if I’ve had to do a large quantity of baking, I’ve used hash marks on there to help me keep track. It’s also a great place to write a dinner request or sweet note.

Wooden Spoons

My mother had a wooden spoon collection that she displayed on the wall of the kitchen when I was growing up. They were beautiful but we weren’t allowed to use them. When I started cooking, I tried every shape and size until I found the ones that worked best for me. I like to use wooden spoons that are strong and durable for getting the job done and I love a flat-edged spoon for scraping because it won’t scratch pots and pans. With a little care and hand washing, your wooden spoons should last forever and become a great family heirloom.

Tea Towels

I love a good cotton tea towel, and I find myself reaching for one all the time in the kitchen. I love the large size and how absorbent they are. If I am steaming spinach, I use a tea towel to squeeze the water out of the spinach. If I am steeping lavender for lemonade, I use a tea towel to strain the lavender out of the simple syrup. I do have some decorative tea towels, but I have a drawer full of large white tea towels.

Bowls and Dessert Cups

I am not of the mindset that everything must match; that’s just my style. I believe that when presenting salads or soups or desserts, the presentation should be fun and interesting. I often look at garage sales and thrift stores for new and interesting pieces to use. By using different sizes, shapes, and heights, you create visual stimulation for those enjoying the meal and a lovely display for your food.

Making Substitutions

Since everyone has a different childhood, cultural background, and upbringing, comfort food looks different for us all. Anything easy to make and easily passed down through generations qualifies as delicious comfort food. These recipes include the flavors and reference the brands that many of my friends and family love, but feel free to replace them with your own favorites or add in beloved ingredients! Does your nephew prefer shell-shaped pasta to elbow macaroni? Go with shells! Is your grandmother a long-time fan of olives mixed into her egg salad? Throw in some chopped olives! Many people find comfort in the flavor of a specific brand of ketchup or cola. It’s comfort food, so go with what is most comfortable!

Comfort food can also have a lot of calories, fats, salt, and sugar, so sometimes you might want to make healthier substitutions. You can always make small changes to lighten up your favorite recipes while not missing out on the satisfaction of a classic meal. Here are a just a handful of smart tricks that help to bump up the nutrition level of your favorite comfort meals:

Try using multigrain or whole wheat pasta instead of enriched pasta.

Try mixing extra vegetables into your mac and cheese or soups to add flavor and fiber.

You can replace half the oil in cake recipes with applesauce!

Greek yogurt can work as an alternative to sour cream.

Using fresh herbs in place of salt-based blends is an easy way to cut sodium.

Play around with starches—swap sweet potatoes for regular potatoes.

Try different proteins! Turkey bacon is a great option, for example.

Time-Honored Cooking Tips

Remember, cooking (especially cooking these comforting family favorites) should be fun and not full of stress. Be open to experimentation, and do not be afraid to try new ingredients. I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks over the years from friends and family that will help make preparing these dishes as warm and rewarding an experience as sharing them with your loved ones. Here are a few of my favorites:

To keep baked goods soft, store them in an airtight container with a slice of storebought bread.

Need butter for a recipe, but yours is too hard? Soften your butter by putting it in a zippered plastic bag and letting the bag sit in warm water for a few minutes.

Wrapping a damp paper towel around lettuce and other produce keeps it fresh!

Sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of burnt pans to clean them with ease.

Keep berries in glass jars rather than the plastic containers from the store to help them last longer.

Peel onions under running water to prevent the fumes from making you cry.

To see if the eggs you’re using are spoiled or not, place them in a cup or bowl of water: fresh eggs will sink and spoiled eggs will float.

Sprinkle flour on bacon before baking to make it extra-crispy.

Soak potatoes in cold water before peeling to loosen the skin. This makes it so easy to peel!

When using oil to fry something, use a wooden spoon to check to see if it’s hot enough. Bubbles around the spoon mean yes.

Use rinds and ends of cheese in mac and cheese instead of throwing them away.

Spray your measuring spoons and cups with nonstick spray before measuring sticky liquids like honey or syrup.

Use a lint roller to easily clean up items like spilled sprinkles.

Make your own nonstick cooking spray by mixing 1 part oil with 5 parts water in a spray bottle.

Ripen and soften bananas in a pinch by baking them for 5 to 7 minutes in an oven set to 350°F.

I’ve sprinkled a few more tips and tricks throughout the book that are specific to each recipe. Remember to read through the included Notes before you begin cooking to see if you can make your life easier or substitute one of your favorite flavors!

CHAPTER 2

Breakfast Favorites

We call breakfast the most important meal for a reason—not only does it provide the energy we need to kick-start our day, it also provides an opportunity to create priceless memories. My daughters may no longer sit with ponytails and giggles waiting for their banana pancakes, but those joyful moments last forever.

Sausage Gravy

Big Orange Stack

Banana Pancakes

Upside-Down Pineapple Pancakes

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Stuffed French Toast

Baked Eggs Napoleon by Chris Grove

Sausage Gravy

Makes 6–8 servings

I was a firm believer that gravy belonged only on mashed potatoes and not on my breakfast biscuits until I had my first plate of biscuits and sausage gravy at a truck stop in Ottumwa, Iowa. I have been obsessed since that day! I became a self-titled “gravy snob” and set out to make the perfect sausage gravy. This, my friends, is my version of the ultimate sausage gravy!

Ingredients

1 lb. sage sausage (or use plain if desired)

¾–1 cup flour

½ gallon whole milk

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp. poultry seasoning, optional

Instructions

1. Put your sausage in a preheated cast-iron skillet on medium heat and cook until it is brown and there is no pink. Break up as many of the large chunks as you can.

2. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and the poultry seasoning. Stir to incorporate.

3. Turn the heat down to medium, add the flour, and stir well to coat all the sausage. You may have to add a little extra flour if you think the gravy looks too thin.

4. Slowly stir in the milk and let it come to a slow boil. Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary. I like mine very peppery.

5. Cook until the gravy starts to get thick. Note that your gravy will thicken as it cools.

6. Pour generously over your favorite preparedfrom-scratch or frozen biscuits and serve.

Notes

Adjust the flavor of your gravy by using different sausage flavors.

Make your gravy thinner by adding more milk.

When making your biscuits, add a pat of butter to the top of each biscuit prior to baking!

Biscuits and gravy is a breakfast staple in the Midwest and South.

Big Orange Stack

Makes 4 servings

We were playing with food again, trying to produce a unique breakfast idea at the café for an event that we were catering. I wanted to present a breakfast dish that would be unique, visually appealing, and stick to your ribs for a while. We played with flavors, elements, sauces, and textures before we finally decided on this combination. Enjoy!

Ingredients

4 buttermilk biscuits, buttered and split

2 ripe tomatoes, cut into slices

12 slices crispy bacon

Equal parts sriracha and orange marmalade (see step 1 below)

4 eggs

2 cups shredded cheese

Sliced avocado

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix equal parts of sriracha and orange marmalade, set aside.

2. On each plate, place a split biscuit or slice of cornbread.

3. On top of the bread, lay two slices of tomato, salted and peppered.

4. Lay 3 slices of warm bacon on each serving and top with about ⅓ cup of shredded cheese. Let the warm bacon melt the cheese.

5. Take a teaspoon and drizzle the srirachaorange sauce over the bacon and cheese.

6. Cook the eggs sunny-side up and gently place them on each stack. Drizzle the remaining sriracha-orange sauce over each one.

7. Garnish with fresh cracked pepper and avocado slices.

Notes

This is a great game-day breakfast, easy to make at your tailgate.

Instead of buttermilk biscuits, try using 4 pieces of warm Country Cornbread (here), Mexican Cornbread (here), or Cranberry Cornbread (here).

Extra sriracha-orange sauce is great on wings, as a dip for chicken tenders, or on fish.

Experiment with the type of cheese you use. Any smoked cheese, pepper jack, or soft extra-melty cheeses would be good.

Banana Pancakes

Makes 3 servings

My first time trying banana pancakes was on vacation in Mexico. We ventured out early one morning and found the cutest little locally owned café. Banana pancakes just so happened to be on their special board that morning. They ended up being the most delicious, moist pancakes I’ve ever had. I think you will find these pancakes very a-peeling!

Ingredients

2 cups baking mix, I use Bisquick

1 cup whole milk

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbsp. melted butter

2 mashed ripe bananas

Instructions

1. Preheat a lightly oiled griddle to 375°F.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together by hand everything but the bananas until well mixed.

3. Add the bananas in and mix gently.

4. Pour about ¼ cup of the batter onto the hot griddle, leaving space between the pancakes.

5. Cook until the pancakes are brown on the edges and there are bubbles coming through to the top. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Remove and serve with warm maple syrup.

Notes

Garnish your pancakes with whipped cream, caramelized bananas, or caramel sauce.

Make an extra batch and freeze them for future use. Freeze in a single layer in storage bags, then warm them up in the morning!

Did you know that a cluster of bananas is called a hand and consists of 10–20 bananas, which are known as fingers?

Upside-Down Pineapple Pancakes

Makes 3 servings

Pancakes make us dream of lazy weekend mornings in our pajamas with a hot cup of coffee. These upside-down pineapple pancakes are a decadent but minimal-effort way to start your weekend. They will have you asking yourself: is this dessert or is this breakfast?

Ingredients

2 cups baking mix, I use Bisquick

¾ cup whole milk

One 20-oz. can drained, sliced pineapple rings, reserve cup pineapple juice

2 eggs

2½ Tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbsp. melted butter

Maraschino cherries, drained, stems removed

Instructions

1. Preheat a lightly oiled griddle to 375°F.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together by hand everything but the pineapple rings and cherries, until well mixed.

3. Place a pineapple ring on the griddle and put a cherry in the center hole. Repeat with about 4–5 rings and cherries.

4. Pour ⅓–½ cup of batter on top of the pineapple rings.

5. Cook until the pancakes are brown on the edges and there are bubbles coming through to the top. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Remove and serve with warm maple syrup and a pat of butter.

Notes

Pineapples take 18–20 months to become ripe enough to harvest.

To make these into a dessert, layer them with a mascarpone and pineapple mixture and serve with whipped cream and a cherry.

Use any pancake mix recipe that you wish—including your family’s secret recipe! The one I use is tried and true for me.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Makes 3 servings

I loved making these for my kids when they were growing up. The melted chocolate chips created such a warm and comforting aroma in the morning. The girls thought that having chocolate for breakfast was really getting away with something, little did they know it was just my way of loving them.

Ingredients

2 cups baking mix, I use Bisquick

1 cup whole milk

2 eggs

2½ Tbsp. sugar

2 Tbsp. melted butter

1 cup chocolate chips, whatever variety you like best

Instructions

1. Preheat a lightly oiled griddle to 375°F.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together by hand everything but the chocolate chips, until well mixed.

3. Add the chocolate chips in and mix gently.

4. Pour about ¼ cup of the batter onto the hot griddle, leaving space between the pancakes.

5. Cook until the pancakes are brown on the edges and there are bubbles coming through to the top. Flip and cook for another 2 minutes or until golden brown.

6. Remove and serve with warm maple syrup and a pat of butter.

Notes

Vary the flavor of chips you use according to what you and your family enjoy most. For fun, try a mix of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and semi-sweet chips.

These pancakes freeze well and make a great afterschool or late-night snack served with a scoop of ice cream on top.

Fun and delicious garnishes include whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and chocolate chips or shavings.

Stuffed French Toast

Makes 6 servings

The morning after slumber parties we always made French toast. The only stuffing we did back then was into our hungry mouths! This stuffed French toast has all the elements of the classic with a hint of “I’m so fancy”.

Ingredients

8-oz. block cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla

3 Tbsp. raspberry preserves

12 slices thick brioche bread

1 cup whole milk

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. sugar

Instructions

1. In a small mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until it is smooth and spreadable.

2. Stir in the raspberry preserves.

3. Preheat a lightly oiled griddle to 375°F.

4. Take a piece of bread and spread a generous amount of the cream cheese filling on it. Top it with another piece of bread so it looks like a sandwich.

5. Do this until you have used all the bread.

6.