Comfort Foods Make Everyone Happy

The holidays are times for family and friends to gather together and share yummy recipes, drinks and lots of love. Here are a few of our favorite comfort foods. We hope you all are enjoying the warmth this season always brings. Spread peace and joy and watch it come back to you!

Whatever your family tradition and recipes are, there will always be comfort food. These can be hearty and warm soups, to sweet desserts. Here are some comfort foods and drinks that we crave during the holidays.

Soups

A warm bowl of soup is a classic comfort food, especially when the weather turns chilly or when you have a cold. Here’s an easy-to-do and simple soup.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

• 4 cups thinly sliced onions
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 cup butter
• 6 cups water
• 8 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 6 slices French bread (3/4 inch thick), buttered and toasted
• 6 slices Swiss cheese

Directions 

1. In a large covered saucepan, cook onions and garlic in butter over medium-low heat for 8-10 minutes or until tender and golden, stirring occasionally. Add water, bouillon and Worcestershire sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Ladle hot soup into 6 ovenproof bowls. Top each with a piece of French bread. Cut each slice of cheese in half and place both pieces over the bread. Broil until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and cheese are a staple comfort food in many children’s diet and could be the most popular comfort food, in the US at least. This comfort food brings back our childhood memories and don’t we all want to feel like kids during the Holidays?

Paula Deen’s Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• Elbow Macaroni
• Unsalted Butter- You can also use salted butter and skip the salt seasoning.
• Half and Half
• Eggs– Used for a thicker, creamier consistency.
• Sour Cream
• Cheddar Cheese– Purchase a block and grate your own at home for creamiest consistency. Heluva Good! Orange Sharp Cheddar is my preferred brand, it melts really well and tastes great.
• American Cheese– Velveeta orange packaged slices work well
• Cream Cheese
• Cayenne Pepper
• Salt/Pepper

PRO TIP: The half and half, sour cream, and cheeses should be close to room temperature prior to being added to the macaroni.

Moving on from childhood nostalgia, here’s the adult’s favorite part, the drinks. Let’s start with something warm. Enjoy the goodness of a cinnamon roll in the form of a hot cocktail.

Warm Cinnamon Roll Cocktail

Ingredients

• ½ cup whole milk or half and half
• 1 shot RumChata
• 1 shot caramel Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 1 shot Fireball whisky (or another cinnamon whiskey)
• Cinnamon stick or ground cinnamon for garnish

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan on low heat, whisk the milk, RumChata, and Irish cream, whisking constantly until it simmers.
2. Whisk in the Fireball. Serve warm garnished with a cinnamon stick or ground cinnamon.

Orange-Maple Warm Old-Fashioned

Sure, you’d love a classic old-fashioned cocktail, but warming it up and adding in all kinds of tasty flavors makes this an instant hit for the holidays.

Ingredients

• 1 demerara sugar cube
• 2 dashes cardamom cocktail bitters
• ½ ounce Grand Marnier or another orange liqueur
• 1 ounce maple bourbon
• 1½ cups boiling water
• Orange slice or twist and cinnamon stick for garnish

Instructions

1. In a coffee mug, muddle the sugar cube with the cocktail bitters. Stir in the Grand Marnier and maple bourbon.
2. Stir in the boiling water.
3. Garnish with the orange slice and cinnamon stick.

Not everybody enjoys an alcoholic beverage. Here are a couple of recipes for the non-alcoholic drink lovers.

Peppermint Cocoa

It’s peppermint patty in a cup. Delicious!

Ingredients

• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 1 quart milk
• 3 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• ¼ cup crushed mint candy canes plus additional for garnish
• Whipped cream for garnish

Directions

1. Heat cocoa powder and milk in a saucepan on medium heat.
2. Gradually stir in chocolate chips and mint pieces.
3. Simmer until peppermint dissolves, stirring occasionally, for approximately 10 minutes.
4. Increase heat to a boil for 30 seconds.
5. Remove from heat and serve in mugs.
6. Garnish with whipped cream and additional crushed candy canes.

White Hot Chocolate

This rich and chocolatey, and not to forget- spicy, this is really a cup of comfort for a holiday drink.

Ingredients

• 3 cups light cream, divided
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• Dash nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• Cinnamon
• Whipped cream, optional

Directions

1. Put half the cream, the chocolate chips, and the nutmeg in a saucepan.
2. Simmer and stir on low heat until the chips melt.
3. Add the leftover cream.
4. Simmer and stir again.
5. Take the pan off the heat and add in the extracts.
6. Pour the mixture into mugs, garnishing with cinnamon and whipped cream, if desired.

And of course, for tea lovers, we have one for you too!

Cranberry Spice Tea

Simple yet Christmassy, this drink is one that you’re sure to love.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cranberry juice
• 4 ounces water
• 1 1-inch strip orange peel
• 1 spice tea bag, such as Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice Tea
• Cinnamon stick and orange wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, combine the cranberry juice, water, and orange peel. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Remove the orange peel and pour into a mug. Steep the tea bag for two minutes.
3. Remove the tea bag. Serve garnished with the cinnamon stick and an orange wedge.

We hope you have a fabulous time trying any of these delicious recipes. The holidays just aren’t complete without comfort food, friends and family!

Love to Know

Taste of Home

The Cozy Cook (Paula Deen)