A comfort food is a warm and cozy meal that reminds you of home and love. Even if some of these recipes are new to you, they’ll likely make your family smile really big when you serve them.
Comfort foods fill your house with amazing smells and get everyone running to the dinner table. Which one will be your new favorite? We’re guessing the Mini Meatball Skillet (here) with warm fresh bread for dunking! Or maybe it will be my older daughter’s favorite rich and creamy Cozy Country Potato Pie (here) or my younger daughter’s favorite lightened up Crustless Chicken Potpie (here). There are always cheers in our house when those recipes hit the menu list for the week.
Cooking is like magic. We take a few ingredients that might seem icky all by themselves and turn them into something that smells amazing. I always giggled when my kids would tell me they didn’t like onions or garlic because they are hiding in all of their very favorite foods! Pizza and tacos just wouldn’t taste right if they didn’t have onions and garlic somewhere inside. The trick is all in how you prepare it and the magic that happens in your skillet.
A raw onion is harsh and strong to taste. Garlic is super stinky when it is raw and fresh, and it doesn’t smell like something you’d want to eat. However, when you melt some butter or olive oil in a skillet and cook the onion and garlic until it is clear and soft, they suddenly taste sweet. This process is called sautéing.
Cook the veggies until the onions are translucent (clear) and softened. If they are starting to turn black on the edges, your pan might be too hot or you’ve cooked them too long. Charred onions can still be delicious in some recipes, especially roasted dishes, but for most sautéed recipes you want to stop before that happens.
1. Choose your cooking oil: Canola oil, olive oil, butter or a combination will help coat the pan and keep the food from sticking. Oil also adds a nice flavor to your dish. The recipe will specify which one you need.
2. Choose your pan: Skillets come in many different sizes. For most recipes in this book, you’ll need a large one that can fit your whole finished recipe. We prefer nonstick pans because you don’t need as much oil to keep food from sticking. Just be careful you’re using wood or silicone/nylon tools and not metal ones. Metal will scratch the coating.
3. Chop your veggies: You’ll need to chop the veggies before you sauté them, and once they’re cooked that’s the size they’ll be in your final recipe.
4. Heat your oil or butter: Place your skillet on a burner of the stove top, and then turn the heat for that burner on to medium. Add the oil or butter to the skillet, and give it 2 to 3 minutes to heat up before you add your veggies. Everyone’s stove heats pans a little differently. To test if your skillet is ready, add one small piece of onion to the pan. If it sizzles, you’re ready to go.
5. Add the veggies to the pan: Carefully pour the chopped veggies into your pan. Keep your hands away from the pan and use a spoon to scoop them out of the bowl or measuring cup they were waiting in so that the hot oil doesn’t splatter on you.
6. Sauté the veggies: Stir the veggies around in the pan, and then let them rest and simmer. Every couple of minutes, you can give them another stir. By letting them sit in between your stirrings, you are allowing the veggies to develop a golden-brown color that makes them extra sweet and delicious.
Sometimes when we don’t like a food, it’s just one part of the food that is the problem. It turns out my kids love chicken potpie filling but they don’t like the pie itself! That’s an easy enough problem to fix, we just serve up the creamy chicken and veggies alongside our favorite biscuits instead. Can you think of a food you would like to break apart and “fix”? Now that you’re an expert on sautéing veggies, we hope you’ll enjoy testing out your new skill here.
PLAY WITH IT! Lots of different veggies taste great with chicken. You could add almost anything from the frozen section: broccoli, asparagus, peppers and different kinds of beans. How about small diced potatoes to make it more like a stew?
YIELD: 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
1 medium onion
2 cups (473 ml) milk
1 rotisserie chicken
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
1 tsp jarred minced garlic
Sprinkle of salt & pepper
½ tsp dried thyme
¼ cup (25 g) all-purpose flour
1 (10-oz [284-g]) bag frozen mixed vegetables or mix 2 cups (459 g) of your own veggie variety including carrots, peas, green beans and corn
Biscuits or crackers, for serving (optional)
Have your helper cut the onion into 4 large chunks so you can chop it into small-size pieces in a manual food processor.
Measure out the milk into a measuring cup, and set it aside.
Peel the skin off of the rotisserie chicken and throw it away. Using your fingers or a fork, shred the rotisserie chicken meat (both white breast meat and dark thigh meat) into small bite-size pieces.
2. PARENTS, IT’S YOUR TURN! 
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
3. TEAMWORK GETS IT DONE! 
Add the onion, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme to the pan, and stir to combine with a long-handled spoon. Heat until the onions are softened and translucent (clear), about 3 to 5 minutes.
With a whisk ready in the adult helper’s hand, add the flour to the pan while the adult helper quickly stirs to combine with the onion mixture. Whisk continuously for 1 minute to toast the flour. The combination will quickly become dry and crumbly, but keep whisking to cook the flour through.
While the adult helper continues to whisk, gently pour the milk into the pot. Use the whisk to scrape up any dried bits of flour that may be clinging to the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat up to medium-high and continue to whisk the milk until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Turn the heat to low. Add the shredded chicken meat to the pot and stir to combine.
Add the bag of frozen vegetables to the pot. The heat from the sauce will finish thawing the veggies. Gently stir to combine and cover the pot with a lid. Periodically stir and heat until the veggies are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.
Serve the chicken potpie mixture in large bowls with some fresh biscuits, bread or crackers on the side if you like.
Our kids love to make this when grandma and grandpa come to visit because it gets grandma talking about the German foods she enjoyed as a young girl. Grandpa goes crazy for the caraway seeds, so we always set extras out on the table for him. Be sure to ask the adults at your table to share their own memories of their favorite childhood foods. Maybe this will be one of your new favorites! This stew makes the whole house smell comforting and cozy. Serve it with some fresh bread and a simple green salad.
PLAY WITH IT! Wavy egg noodles are our favorites, but this would be great with elbow macaroni or over spaghetti, too! Maybe try it stuffed into a baked potato with a little cheddar cheese. Frozen peas would be great if you mix them in after the tomatoes.
YIELD: 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
16 oz (454 g) wavy egg noodles
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp (7 g) smoked paprika
1 tsp dried marjoram
¼ tsp nutmeg
Sprinkle of salt & pepper
1 small onion
1 green bell pepper
4 tbsp (57 g) butter
1 tbsp (8 g) caraway seeds
2 lb (907 g) ground beef
2 tsp (7 g) jarred garlic
1 (14-oz [397-g]) can of crushed tomatoes
¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream, plus more for serving
Have your helper put a large pot of water on to boil, and cook the noodles according to the directions on the package. While the noodles are cooking, measure out the cumin, paprika, marjoram, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and place them in a small bowl near the stove.
Have your adult helper cut the onion into 4 large chunks. Have your helper cut open the green pepper and remove the seeds. You can then chop the onion and pepper up into small pieces using a manual food processor.
After your helper has drained the pasta, measure and add the butter to the empty pot over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, stir in the cooked pasta until coated. Ask your helper to pour the buttered noodles into a large serving bowl, and then you can sprinkle them with the caraway seeds. Set the dish aside.
With the empty pot over medium heat, add the ground beef and crumble it up with a spoon as it browns. Once it is no longer pink, add the chopped onions and peppers, then measure and add the garlic. Stir together and cook until the onions are translucent (clear), about 5 minutes.
Add the seasonings to the beef mixture. Stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute.
Pour the crushed tomatoes into the pot and stir to combine with the beef. Cover the pot with a lid, and have your helper turn the heat down to medium-low. Let simmer for 10 to 20 minutes until heated through.
2. PARENTS, IT’S YOUR TURN!
Your kid chef will be able to do most of this recipe, but you will want to help them by managing the boiling water, transferring the hot pasta, cutting open the onion and pepper and draining the fat off the browned ground beef if there is too much liquid in the pot.
3. TEAMWORK GETS IT DONE!
Once the beef is done, add the sour cream to the mix. Stir it in until completely combined. Serve the stew spooned over the buttered noodles. You can garnish it with an additional dollop of sour cream, if you like.
This is one of the coziest comfort foods we can think to make on a chilly weekend afternoon. While it simmers away inside the oven, you could have a family game night. The dish comes together quickly by using store-bought, prepared mashed potatoes. You can find them in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. Plain or sour cream and chive flavored potatoes would both be equally delicious here.
PLAY WITH IT! This is a pretty traditional version of what is also known as a shepherd’s pie. If you wanted to play with it, you could add other veggies to the mix such as corn, green beans or peppers. Instead of the mashed potato topping, you could stir chunks of red potatoes into the beef mixture before baking. Or how about swapping mashed sweet potatoes for the regular ones?
YIELD: 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
2 small onions
2 carrots
2 slices sandwich bread
¼ cup (59 ml) milk
2 lb (907 g) ground beef
1½ cups (355 ml) chicken broth
¼ cup (59 ml) heavy cream
1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
¼ cup (59 ml) vegetable oil
3 tsp (9 g) jarred minced garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
3 tbsp (46 g) tomato paste
⅓ cup (33 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (151 g) frozen peas
3 cups (632 g) prepared mashed potatoes
Have your adult helper cut the onions into quarters so you can chop them up into small pieces using a manual food processor. Then have your helper wash and peel the carrots, and cut them into small diced pieces.
Tear the sandwich bread into small pieces and add them to a large mixing bowl. Measure and add the milk and ground beef, and mash it all together with a fork.
Measure the chicken broth, pour it into a small bowl or cup, and set it near the stove. Then measure the heavy cream and add the soy sauce. Set them near the stove.
2. PARENTS, IT’S YOUR TURN!
When your kid chef asks, cut the carrots into a small dice.
Set a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C, or gas mark 3).
3. TEAMWORK GETS IT DONE!
Measure and add the vegetable oil to the Dutch oven, and let it preheat for a few minutes. Add the ground beef mixture and cook it until browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Be sure to break it up with a spoon so it cooks evenly. When the beef is no longer pink, have the adult transfer it to a large bowl or plate. Set it aside.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the onions and carrots to the pot. Measure and add the garlic and thyme. Stir them together and cook until the onions are softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Measure and add the tomato paste to the pot, and stir to combine with the veggies. Measure and add the flour to the pot, and briskly stir for 1 minute. The mixture will quickly get sticky.
Whisk in the chicken broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Return the ground beef mix to the pot and stir. Pour in the cream and soy sauce, and stir. Place the lid on the pot and bake in the oven for 1 hour.
Measure and stir in the peas. While the peas are cooking through, heat the prepared potatoes for 2 to 3 minutes in the microwave according to the directions on the package.
Stir the warmed potatoes, and then spoon them over the top of the beef. Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to smooth them into a solid layer over the top. Cover the pot and return it to the oven for 20 minutes.
Scoop large spoonfuls of the dish into bowls for serving.
When winter feels like it is never going to end, we love to make this one-pan tropical recipe and pretend we’re living on an island. It goes really well with Cilantro Lime Rice (here). Or, you can even serve this as a fun snack or appetizer when you have guests.
PLAY WITH IT! Roasted vegetables are so yummy! What else could you add to this mixture? Maybe next time try adding or swapping broccoli, zucchini, tomatoes, green beans or asparagus.
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS
1 (4 or 6-link) package of pineapple-flavored chicken sausages
1 red bell pepper
1 small red onion
1 fresh pineapple or 1 (20-oz [567-g]) can of pineapple chunks
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
Salt & pepper
Set out a large cookie sheet near your cutting board. Open up the package of chicken sausages. Cut the sausage links into thick slices and place them on one end of the cookie sheet. If your butter knife doesn’t work, you can ask your adult helper to finish this task.
Ask your adult helper to cut the red bell pepper open and remove the seeds. Cut the pepper into large chunks with a butter knife and place them on the cookie sheet.
Cut the onion into thick wedges and place them on the cookie sheet. If your butter knife doesn’t work, you can ask your adult helper to finish this task.
Have your helper trim and core the fresh pineapple for you. Then you can cut it into large chunks with the butter knife, and place them on the cookie sheet. If you use canned pineapple, open the can and use the lid to drain the juices from the fruit before using them.
Drizzle the olive oil over all the vegetables and fruit, and gently toss them together with your hands until everything is nice and coated. Wash and dry your hands.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over the vegetable mixture.
2. PARENTS, IT’S YOUR TURN!
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C, or gas mark 7).
Assist your kid chef with cutting the vegetables when asked. Trim and core the fresh pineapple, if using.
3. TEAMWORK GETS IT DONE!
Bake the sausages and veggies for 30 to 40 minutes, tossing the veggies and flipping the sausage slices after 15 to 20 minutes to make sure nothing burns on the bottom.
Serve the sausages and veggies on a large platter. They taste great warm or even at room temperature!
These yummy meatballs are the ultimate “play with your food” food! Mix the filling together and roll the balls out with your hands. It’s better than playing with Play-Doh because you can dip your breadsticks in the delicious sauce and gobble them up when you’re done. Add a simple salad as a side dish and this is a perfectly well-rounded meal.
PLAY WITH IT! You could add several different seasonings to the meatball mix: basil, thyme, oregano or red pepper flakes would all be delicious with the marinara. Or you can turn this into a completely different kind of dish and season them with your favorite Mexican blend of spices. Add some onions and peppers to the tomato sauce, and then sprinkle with some fresh cilantro.
YIELD: 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
½ cup (60 g) panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsp (30 ml) milk
1 egg
1 lb (454 g) ground beef (OR ½ lb [227 g] ground beef mixed with ½ lb [227 g] ground pork)
1 tsp jarred minced garlic
1 tbsp (3 g) parsley
½ tsp nutmeg
3 tbsp (34 g) Parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
1 (24-oz [656 ml]) jar marinara sauce
1 cup (121 g) mozzarella cheese
Breadsticks, for serving
Measure and add the breadcrumbs and milk to a large mixing bowl, and stir them together. Give the crumbs a minute to soak up the milk, and mush it all together with a fork.
Crack the egg into a small cup and whisk it with a fork to break the yolk. Stir until light yellow.
Measure and add the ground beef, garlic, parsley, nutmeg, Parmesan cheese, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and the egg to the mixing bowl. Use your hands to gently combine all the ingredients. Don’t overmix the beef or it will get tough. Just lightly turn the meat until all the seasonings are well mixed throughout the beef.
Pinch off portions of meat just smaller than a golf ball, and roll them in your hands. Line the formed meatballs on a plate.
2. PARENTS, IT’S YOUR TURN!
Set a skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil to the pan.
3. TEAMWORK GETS IT DONE!
Add the meatballs to the skillet and brown them on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and pour in the jar of marinara sauce. Cover the skillet with a lid. Simmer the meatballs in the sauce for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through. Turn the heat off.
Sprinkle the meatballs with the mozzarella cheese, and let the cheese melt as the meatballs rest for 10 minutes.
Serve alongside fresh breadsticks for dunking.
A very special lady named Julia Child made a similar stew very famous. She was fearless in the kitchen, and she didn’t let any mistakes stop her. I hope you’ll learn to be like Julia. We took notes from her recipe and made it a lot easier for modern families and tastier for kids. This is a perfect snow day meal when you want to be warm and cozy.
PLAY WITH IT! This recipe is a little harder to play with, but not impossible! You can add any root vegetable you like to the veggie mix. Sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips or rutabagas would all work with the carrots and potatoes. You could also add butternut squash, green beans or mushrooms later in the cooking.
YIELD: 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
3 carrots
½ lb (227 g) baby potatoes
2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar
1½ cups (355 ml) chicken broth
2 tbsp (30 ml) soy sauce
4 slices bacon
1½ lb (680 g) precut stew beef
1 tsp jarred minced garlic
1 tbsp (2 g) thyme
2 tsp (10 g) tomato paste
2 tbsp (12 g) all-purpose flour
Fresh bread or prepared mashed potatoes, for serving (optional)
Wash and peel the carrots, and scrub the potatoes. Ask your adult helper to cut them for you.
Measure the red wine vinegar, chicken broth and soy sauce in a large measuring cup. Give it a stir to combine.
2. PARENTS, IT’S YOUR TURN!
When your kid chef asks, cut the carrots into large chunks and the potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on their size.
Cut the bacon into chunks.
Put a Dutch oven on the stove top over medium-high heat, and preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C, or gas mark 2).
3. TEAMWORK GETS IT DONE!
Add the bacon to the pot, and give it a quick stir. Let it brown and crisp up. When the white part (the fat) has melted into the pot, about 5 to 7 minutes, remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place it on a plate for later.
The adult helper should add the stew beef to the pot in small batches and brown it on all sides. If you overcrowd the pan, it will boil instead of brown. If the adult helper approves, you can help stir each batch of beef. Once it is browned on the outside, about 5 minutes per batch, use your slotted spoon to remove the beef to the same plate as the bacon. Once all the beef has been browned, add the carrots and potatoes to the pot. Measure and add in the garlic and thyme.
Cook the veggies for 2 to 3 minutes. Then measure and stir in the tomato paste. Measure and sprinkle the flour over the veggies, and stir to combine. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes and then pour in the chicken broth mixture. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the browned bits up and smooth out the lumps from the flour.
Add the bacon and beef back to the pot, and stir to combine with the broth. Place the lid on the pot, and bake it in the oven for 2 hours. The pot will be hot and heavy—don’t forget to wear oven mitts and let the adult helper handle the transfer in and out of the oven.
The stew is delicious on its own, or serve it over prepared mashed potatoes or with fresh bread.
When you want your comfort food a little spicier, this southern jambalaya is the answer. Usually it has a trio of meats: chicken, sausage and shrimp. But if you only want one or two of those? I won’t tell. This yummy stew can be enjoyed all by itself, over rice or with bread for dunking.
PLAY WITH IT! The sausage used here comes in all ranges of spicy. Pick your favorite! You can adjust the seasonings to be more or less spicy, or swap in some bottled hot sauce instead of the Cajun blend.
YIELD: 6 TO 8 SERVINGS
1 onion
1 green bell pepper
2 celery ribs
14 oz (397 g) smoked or andouille sausage
2 (14.5-oz [411-g]) cans of diced tomatoes
3 tsp (9 g) jarred minced garlic
2 cups (473 ml) chicken stock
2 tsp (10 ml) Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp (30 g) Cajun seasoning
2 tsp (8 g) sugar
2 tsp (1 g) oregano
1 tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp (3 g) parsley
1 lb (454 g) chicken tenderloins or boneless, skinless thighs
1 lb (454 g) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
Prepared plain white rice, for serving (optional)
Have your parent helper cut the onion, green bell pepper and celery into large chunks so you can chop them with your manual food processor. Work one veggie at a time so you don’t overcrowd your machine.
Cut the sausage into bite-size chunks using your butter knife. Ask for help if you need it.
Open the can of tomatoes and pour them into the slow cooker. Measure and add the garlic, chicken stock, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves and all the seasonings. Stir it all together.
2. PARENTS, IT’S YOUR TURN!
Prepare the veggies for your kid chef when asked.
Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks.
3. TEAMWORK GETS IT DONE!
Add the prepared veggies and the sausage and chicken to the slow cooker, and stir to combine them with the sauce.
Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.
In the last 10 minutes, add the shrimp to the slow cooker and stir them in. Look for and remove the bay leaves. Let the shrimp simmer in the pot for 10 minutes, until pink and cooked through.
Serve the jambalaya as a hearty stew or over plain white rice.
