In the Mood for Comfort Food

By Michele

We all have those days when we just need that something special to soothe us. So, I hit the kitchen and made chicken soup, mac & cheese and meatloaf – all in one day! Though, not all was eaten in one day!

Chicken soup is one of my easiest and favorite recipes. Using a container of chicken bone broth, together with carrot, onion, and celery, and bone-in chicken thighs, you have soup within an hour. My secret ingredient, or maybe it’s not so secret, is ground cardamom, which is an homage to my aunt who always included ground cardamom in her chicken soup. Each spoonful of this soup includes a rich savory broth, tender chicken and a subtle sweetness.

Ingredients

4 bone-in chicken thighs (skin removed)

1 32-ounce box of chicken bone broth, organic preferred

½ large Vidalia or other sweet onion, chopped

4  medium carrots, chopped

3 stalks of celery, chopped

1/8  tsp black pepper

½  tsp ground cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ cup parsley, chopped

Preparation

1. In a medium Dutch oven or soup pot, put in bone broth and chicken. On medium high heat, bring to a boil and continue boiling for ten minutes.

2. Add all remaining ingredients and turn heat to low. Cook for another ten minutes.

3. Remove thighs and take flesh off the bone and return the flesh to the soup. Continue to cook on low for fifteen minutes or until celery is tender.

Mac & Cheese

Next, I made mac and cheese. Let’s face it, this dish is a favorite whether you are under the weather or not!  For this recipe, I used a "protein plus" elbow macaroni by Barilla. This pasta is a good source of plant-based protein and fiber, as well as 11 vitamins and minerals. I’m not plugging it but do give it a try as it’s delicious. My mac and cheese recipe combines two cheeses that I had in the refrigerator. The added breadcrumbs on top gave each bite a bit of a crunch which complemented this creamy, gooey and tasty dish.

Ingredients (for six servings)

16 ounce (4 to 4.5 cups) uncooked elbow macaroni

6 tablespoons salted butter

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3½  cups evaporated milk (or milk)

1 and 3/4 cups heavy cream (if saving calories use half-and-half)

1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, shredded,

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

For topping:

1 cup of seasoned Panko crumbs

2 tablespoons butter

Topping Preparation

Melt butter in small skillet, add breadcrumbs and lightly toast. Set aside.

Mac & Cheese Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Cook macaroni in boiling water until almost tender; drain.

3. In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper and continue stirring until smooth. Stir in milk, cream and nutmeg. Mix well and then add cooked macaroni and cheeses.

4. Transfer to an ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake until bubbly, 45-50 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Meatloaf

Lastly, I made a meatloaf.  Again, I used whatever I could find in the refrigerator to ensure that the meat loaf will be moist and savory. For this recipe, I used turkey chopped meat.

Ingredients

1 to 1 ¼ pound ground turkey (90-92% lean)

1 tablespoon oil

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 large carrot, shredded

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

3/4 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 cup panko bread crumbs 

1/3 cup milk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet or 9 by 13-inch baking pan lined with aluminum foil.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened; about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, then stir in carrots, salt and pepper and cook for two minutes more.

3. Transfer the onion mixture to a bowl and add ketchup and mustard. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

4. Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl. Stir the breadcrumb mixture and eggs into the onion mixture. Using a fork or your hands, gently mix in the ground turkey. The mixture will be very wet.

5. Form the meatloaf into a 9 by 5-inch oval in the middle of the prepared baking sheet.

6. Bake in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meatloaf registers 170°F, about 50 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.