Remember that Campbell’s soup commercial from the late 1990s that featured a shivering frowning snowman trudging into the house on a blustery, snowy day? After hanging up his hat and scarf, the snowman is pictured at a kitchen table, smiling when he sees the steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup set before him. After a few tastes, the snowman begins to melt. Slushy puddles form on the floor and pretty soon we see a grinning freckle-faced little boy as we’re reminded that, “Nothing melts away the cold like a delicious hot bowl of Campbell’s soup.”
Well, this article isn’t a Campbell’s endorsement, but it is intended to share with you some recipes for warm, delicious comfort food to ward off the winter chill. After all, who can’t relate to that bone-chilling cold that makes you want to crawl under the covers until the daffodils bloom?
These are family favorites that I hope you enjoy as much as we do!
Tomato Tortellini Soup
Ingredients:
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 packages (9-oz each) frozen cheese tortellini
2 cans (10¾-oz each) reduced-sodium condensed tomato soup
2 cups chicken broth
1½ cups milk
2 cups half-and-half (fat free is fine)
½ cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (or 2 tablespoons sundried tomato paste)
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Sauté garlic with olive oil in a large stock pot until golden brown. Be sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn or get too brown. Add tomato soup, chicken broth, milk, half-and-half, onion powder, and salt. Stir together and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, drop tortellini into the soup and cook according to the package directions. (Some might only take 3 to 5 minutes.) After tortellini are cooked, ladle soup into bowls and top with parmesan cheese. Great when served with crusty bread and a green salad.
Lasagna Soup
I love lasagna, but I don’t love how long it can take to assemble all those layers. And inevitably, I underestimate how long it takes to get the middle cooked through while the edges are getting a little too crispy. That’s not to mention the bubble-over that spills onto the floor of the oven when I forget to put a foil-covered cookie sheet underneath the pan.
Well, my mom developed a solution that can be made on the stovetop. It is fast, easy, and delicious. If you really want to impress your friends, divide the finished soup into individual little crock-ramekins, sprinkle with croutons and cheese, and broil for a minute or two until the cheese is melted.
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups water (I mix in 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon for added flavor)
2 cans (15-oz each) diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil
1 can (6-oz) tomato paste
2 cups uncooked Mafalda pasta (mini lasagna noodles), or use regular lasagna noodles broken into smaller bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or mix mozzarella and fontina)
1½ cups croutons (optional)
Directions:
In a large deep skillet, cook ground beef with onion and garlic. Drain grease. Add water, tomatoes, and tomato paste and blend well. Stir in pasta and seasonings. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, mixing occasionally, until pasta is tender.
Beef Barley Soup
This is a soup my mom makes in vast quantities every winter. It’s better the next day, freezes well, and the recipe adapts to whatever vegetables you have on hand. In fact, it’s one of those recipes in which Mom wrote out her instructions with options and explanations along the way, rather than a set list of ingredients. Be sure you read it through before you start, so you have your ingredients on hand.
Ingredients:
See below
Directions:
Start with 4 quarts (or more) of beef broth in a stockpot. Swanson’s is good or make your own from bouillon cubes.
Take 3 to 4 pounds of stew beef (round steak, sirloin tips, stir-fry beef, filet chunks, or some other nice cut of beef—mix them if you want) and trim off all of the fat and gristle as you cut it into thumbnail-size pieces. Add to broth.
Scrub a fresh bunch of unpeeled carrots and 4 stalks of celery, including some of the inner leaves. Either chop carrots and celery by hand into very small pieces or use a food processor to get them into pieces smaller than the beef pieces. Add vegetables to the meat and broth.
Bring broth to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Cover and cook for 3 to 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
Add one-half to one package of pearl barley. (If you use a whole package, the soup may resemble oatmeal the next day, so just add more beef broth. I also rinse the barley and discard any kernels that are bad.) Cook the barley according to package directions. Depending on the brand and type of barley, this might involve simmering in the soup for an hour or so.
From time to time as the soup cooks, taste it and add seasonings. Use any combination of salt, pepper, parsley, basil, or oregano, in small amounts.
I try to make the soup early in the day, let it cool, and refrigerate overnight. This seems to give the flavors time to meld.
Easy Macaroni and Cheese
An article about comfort food wouldn’t be complete without a recipe for macaroni and cheese. Sure, you can buy the stuff that comes in a box, but sometimes homemade is just better. And when it comes to macaroni and cheese, there are countless variations. I’ve seen recipes that use Velveeta, mozzarella, mild or medium cheddar, American cheese, and mixtures. You can use elbow macaroni, shells, mini-penne, or another other macaroni you like. Some recipes call for the addition of stewed tomatoes, dry mustard, cornstarch or flour, and heavy cream. Still others use crushed crackers or more cheese, slightly broiled, as a finishing touch.
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups uncooked macaroni
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 quart milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in a baking dish in the oven. Add macaroni, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat macaroni with butter. Sprinkle with cheese. Pour milk over the top. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until pasta is tender.
