# What's your go-to simple comfort food recipe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 20, 2019, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120 "2019-12-20T01:31:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/41 "2019-12-20T22:53:27Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Mom, is that you?? 🙂 > > Actually, I think she and my dad used to put only a yolk in the well, then cover to let it cook a little, then spatula the whole thing onto a plate in one go. Yes, dear. 🙂 Have you done your homework and cleaned your room? > [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > For reasons that escape me, creamed chipped beef is not a thing here in Oklahoma. Is the cream essentially gravy? Does it have a beefy taste? Yeah, it’s basically gravy. Can’t remember if it has a beefy taste or not. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/42 "2019-12-20T23:12:04Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > My stand-by, as posted previously over the years: Thank you Chefguy and DCnDC. Both of those look really good. I’ve just recently been experimenting with different kinds of onions. So far, the big Spanish Onions seem to taste best when cooked for a long time on low heat. They wind up tasting very sweet. They should go good with DCnDC’s pasta recipe. ---
**Author:** ![Eclipse\_Chaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Eclipse\_Chaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eclipse_Chaser)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/43 "2019-12-20T23:14:32Z")
Chili con Carne with a big baked potato dripping with butter. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/44 "2019-12-20T23:18:07Z")
Corndogs!! ---
**Author:** ![Swampwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8edcca/32.png) [@Swampwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swampwolf)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/45 "2019-12-21T00:13:51Z")
**My mother’s tuna casserole recipe.** 1 lb medium-width egg noodles 3 cans tuna, drained (tuna water goes to the cats, or they poop in your bed. Too much tuna water? Get another cat.) 1 can campbell’s cream of mushroom soup 1 empty soup can of milk salt, pepper, powdered onion to taste frozen (NEVER canned!) peas. about…that much. No, maybe a little bit more. 2 stalks celery, chopped preheat oven to 350 Cook noodles, drain, mix everything else in spread into a casserole dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs Bake 20 minutes. This is the _only_ recipe I don’t ad-lib. Nothing beats it. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/46 "2019-12-21T00:57:45Z")
A really quick tuna casserole: Nuke a package of Stouffer’s Mac & cheese for half the total cooking time, about six minutes. Until you can stir it around. Stir in a small can of tuna and a handful of frozen mixed veggies of any kind you like. Nuke for the rest of the cooking time, about another six minutes, or until everything is as hot as it needs to be. FTR, I’m sure this is not as good as Swampwolf’s mom’s. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/47 "2019-12-21T01:36:48Z")
This is a really good question. I don’t seem to have one particular food I go for when I just want to eat something _now_. The closest might be a grilled ham and cheese. Or perhaps throwing some pierogi or gyoza/potstickers in a pot, but both of those may only happen once every couple of months. My most common go-to “I don’t really feel like cooking dinner, but want to feed the family delicious food” is chicken paprikash with spaetzle/galuska/nokedli. In all rights, it really is cooking dinner, but making it is so reflexive for me and requires minimal ingredients that I consider it quick and easy (though the cooking time takes an hour or so. But it’s not active time). And it is absolutely my definition of comfort food. That’s stuff I really crave when I want to be comforted by food. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/48 "2019-12-21T01:59:45Z")
Grilled cheese sandwich French Onion soup - my recipe takes a long time to make and has about 10 ingredients, but the massive batches I make last for over a month, reheat in no time in a microwave, and there is nothing better on a cold winter day. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/49 "2019-12-21T02:04:03Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > Grilled cheese sandwich > French Onion soup - my recipe takes a long time to make and has about 10 ingredients, but the massive batches I make last for over a month, reheat in no time in a microwave, and there is nothing better on a cold winter day. Onion Soup recipe please? ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/50 "2019-12-21T02:34:14Z")
**Not healthy recipe:** Bodega Sandwiches 3 strips of bacon per sandwich One Kaiser roll or similar per sandwich 2 eggs per sandwich 2 slices of cheese per sandwich (your classic sandwich here will use American, but use whatever you want) Using a skillet or griddle pan, fry the bacon and set it on paper towels to drain. Put the roll(s) face down in the pan and allow to warm for a couple minutes. When done, park the bacon inside the roll. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat with some salt and pepper. Pour into/onto the pan/griddle and cook until just set. Put the slices of cheese on top until just melted. Chop into appropriate sized pieces, park the eggs on top of the bacon and eat. **Healthy recipe:** Fagioli All’uccelletto 2 cans of pink or white beans 3 garlic cloves, minced (use jarred or garlic paste if you are in a hurry) 2 TB. olive oil 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried, crumbled Drain the beans in a colander. In a heavy kettle cook garlic in oil over moderate heat for a minute or two, stirring until softened. Add beans, tomatoes and sage and stir. Add ½ cup chicken broth or water if you want the mixture thinner. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer mixture, stirring occasionally, until thickened to taste, about 25 minutes. You can also add spinach if you want something green, or red pepper flakes if you want heat. Serve with bread. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/51 "2019-12-21T03:33:17Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > Can anyone recommend a comfort food that I can prepare in such a way that I could prepare a week’s supply and then I could just heat and serve? I’m asking because I really don’t like to spend 30-60 minutes preparing a meal and then spend 10 minutes eating it. > > I’d really like to spend maybe 15-30 minutes preparing a week’s (maybe more?) supply of meals and then either freeze them or just store them in the fridge and then heat and serve when it’s dinner time. I didn’t think it would be worth starting a new thread for this and so I asked for “comfort food” meals but I’m really not picky what kind of food it is as I will eat most anything. Soup or stew which not only freezes well, but tastes better the second or third day. If you like Japanese style curry, S&B Curry blocks makes a nice alternative to regular beef or chicken stew. They also have curry packs with vegetables. Eat it alone or add your favorite protein of choice. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/52 "2019-12-21T03:37:45Z")
Comfort food for when I’m not feeling well or don’t have an appetite: Fried Spam with rice or as a sandwich Miso soup Rice gruel with a little salt or sesame oil Girlled cheese sandwich Toasted tuna sandwich ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/53 "2019-12-21T03:45:27Z")
[Pasta Aglio e Olio](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJUiWdM__Qw&t=76s) (“spaghetti [with] garlic and oil”) Six ingredients. Very easy (just keep an eye on the garlic since it can burn easily). Maybe 15 minutes all in to prepare and cook. Ridiculously tasty and satisfying. Also, very inexpensive EXCEPT for the aged Parmesan cheese I like to grate over it (technically not part of the recipe and it is fine without it but so much more yum with it). Forget the sawdust that comes in the green Kraft can…fresh, aged Parmesan is a real treat. Do what you want though. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/54 "2019-12-21T04:32:05Z")
> [@lingyi](#): > > If you like Japanese style curry, Oh, yes, how did I forget about that one?!!? I try to always have Golden Curry, Java Curry, and/or Vermont curry cubes on hand for a reasonably quick & easy lunch/dinner. Just the sauce over rice (or noodles) makes me very happy, but I try to do onions, carrots, and potato, and whatever protein is convenient. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/55 "2019-12-21T04:58:50Z")
Quesadilla with scrambled egg - flour tortillas, shredded mild cheddar and Jack cheese, chopped green chile, and a scrambled egg. Quick and easy. For **Charlie’s** request for something to make ahead of time, something I call gruel - about a half pound of cubed chicken breast, browned in a bit of oil and garlic powder. Once browned, place in a big pot and add a can of Campbell’s french onion soup, a can of cream of mushroom soup (plus the can of water for each soup) and a cup of uncooked white rice. Cook over low heat until the rice is done, about 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep the rice from scorching. You’ll end up with a big pot o’ gruel. Bonus is that the stuff tastes great both hot and cold. And you can easily substitute chicken from a rotisserie chicken if you want to make it easier (or use up a leftover rotisserie chicken). ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/56 "2019-12-21T11:53:42Z")
> [@Rough\_Draft](#): > > Same but Wheat Chex and canned peaches. Hmm, I’ve never tried canned fruit. Thanks, that sounds good. > [@Rough\_Draft](#): > > I always liked the _idea_ of corned beef hash, but the reality is way too much like canned dog food for me. Do you hash lovers do anything special to prepare it, or do you just eat it the way it comes out of the can? Suggestions appreciated. > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I empty one of the small cans of corned beef hash into a frying pan. Fry until toasty and very crispy. Turn over and do the same. When almost to the desired level of crispness, make a well in the center and break in an egg. Cover and cook until egg is how you like it-- preferably with quite a runny yolk. > . I do the same, only without the egg. But front it until it develops a crust is key. I find the best way to do this is to spread it over my cast iron frying pan and WALK AWAY, otherwise i fits with it too much and it does get brown enough. > [@bibliophage](#): > > Runny poached eggs on hot buttered toast, with a light sprinkling of salt on top. You have to puncture the yolks and spread them around to let the golden deliciousness get absorbed into the toast. I like this, only I use boiled eggs. There’s no clean up from boiling an egg, just dump them water out of the pot. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/57 "2019-12-21T13:21:09Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > [Pasta Aglio e Olio](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJUiWdM__Qw&t=76s) (“spaghetti [with] garlic and oil”) > > Six ingredients. Very easy (just keep an eye on the garlic since it can burn easily). Maybe 15 minutes all in to prepare and cook. > > Ridiculously tasty and satisfying. > > Also, very inexpensive EXCEPT for the aged Parmesan cheese I like to grate over it (technically not part of the recipe and it is fine without it but so much more yum with it). Forget the sawdust that comes in the green Kraft can…fresh, aged Parmesan is a real treat. Do what you want though. This Babish guy is cute. I see he has a bunch of videos (which I will now watch). 🙂 > [@pulykamell](#): > > Oh, yes, how did I forget about that one?!!? I try to always have Golden Curry, Java Curry, and/or Vermont curry cubes on hand for a reasonably quick & easy lunch/dinner. Just the sauce over rice (or noodles) makes me very happy, but I try to do onions, carrots, and potato, and whatever protein is convenient. I’ve seen this product but didn’t have any idea what to do with it, so I’ve never bought it. Now I’m intrigued. > [@puzzlegal](#): > > Hmm, I’ve never tried canned fruit. Thanks, that sounds good. > … Canned peaches-yum. Keep them in the refrigerator. Icy cold canned peaches on a hot day–very refreshing! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/58 "2019-12-21T14:01:15Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I’ve seen this product but didn’t have any idea what to do with it, so I’ve never bought it. Now I’m intrigued. It’s easy. There’s actually instructions on the back of the box. Basically, the cubes are a roux mixed with curry powder (and, depending on brand, ingredients from apples to honey to cheese–the Golden Curry is pretty basic, though, just basically powder & roux.) As I understand it and as I’ve always prepared it, the traditional vegetables are onions, carrots, and potatoes. You cook those all in a pot with the appropriate amount of water (listed on the box), and throw in whatever protein you’d like (I typically use cut-up chicken thighs or shrimp; beef or pork is also typical); once that is done, add your curry cubes, watch your stew thicken, cook for a few more minutes and serve over rice (or noodles). It is also not uncommon to doctor the sauce up a bit. I will often add grated apples, maybe some Worcestershire sauce, and even ketchup to it. Or mix cubes of different brands together. I quickly looked on Youtube, and [here’s a video that shows the process](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7emvnX9RT1A). And the curry sauce tastes fine without the veggies and protein and served over rice, as well, though I would recommend at least some veggies in it. (While potato, onion, and carrot seem to be the traditional veggies, I will often just add whatever the heck I feel like. Peas work well (though add later), celery, peppers, etc.) This is also very good served with a panko breaded fried pork (or chicken) cutlet, where the dish is known as katsu curry. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/59 "2019-12-21T14:08:05Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > As I understand it and as I’ve always prepared it, the traditional vegetables are onions, carrots, and potatoes. Ack – I correct myself later, but I’ll use whatever vegetables I feel like, but those are the usual. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120/60 "2019-12-21T14:22:52Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > It’s easy. There’s actually instructions on the back of the box. Basically, the cubes are a roux mixed with curry powder (and, depending on brand, ingredients from apples to honey to cheese–the Golden Curry is pretty basic, though, just basically powder & roux.) As I understand it and as I’ve always prepared it, the traditional vegetables are onions, carrots, and potatoes. You cook those all in a pot with the appropriate amount of water (listed on the box), and throw in whatever protein you’d like (I typically use cut-up chicken thighs or shrimp; beef or pork is also typical); once that is done, add your curry cubes, watch your stew thicken, cook for a few more minutes and serve over rice (or noodles). > > It is also not uncommon to doctor the sauce up a bit. I will often add grated apples, maybe some Worcestershire sauce, and even ketchup to it. Or mix cubes of different brands together. > > I quickly looked on Youtube, and [here’s a video that shows the process](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7emvnX9RT1A). > > And the curry sauce tastes fine without the veggies and protein and served over rice, as well, though I would recommend at least some veggies in it. (While potato, onion, and carrot seem to be the traditional veggies, I will often just add whatever the heck I feel like. Peas work well (though add later), celery, peppers, etc.) > > This is also very good served with a panko breaded fried pork (or chicken) cutlet, where the dish is known as katsu curry. Hey, that’s easy! Ignorance mightily fought here today–thanks. 🙂 ETA: Ummm… looking at the video-- why is it called \*Vermont \*curry? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-go-to-simple-comfort-food-recipe/845120.md?page=4)