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6 classic comfort food recipes

It's almost the end of the year. Whether you've had a dreadful or a wonderful 2016, there's much solace to be found in food. So go on - indulge yourself

Super easy beef lasagna
Serves: 6 to 8
Ingredients
. 225 gm oven-ready lasagna
. 450 gm ground beef
. 800 gm diced tomatoes
. 2 cups marinara sauce
. ½ tsp dried oregano
. ½ tsp dried basil
. 425 gm part-skim ricotta cheese
. 1 egg
. 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
. ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Method
Preheat oven to 175°C. 
Grease the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
In a large saucepan, cook beef on medium high heat until browned; drain off fat. Stir in tomatoes, marinara sauce, oregano, and basil. Let simmer over low heat.
Lightly beat egg in a bowl and then add the ricotta cheese. Stir until combined.
To layer the lasagna: cover the bottom of the casserole dish with a layer of the meat sauce. Arrange three pieces of the oven-ready lasagna width wise, making sure there is space between each lasagna piece and the edge of the dish (as the pasta will expand in the oven).
Using half of the ricotta and egg mixture, cover each piece of lasagna. Add another layer of marinara sauce over the top of the pasta pieces. Add 1 cup of the shredded mozzarella over the layer of the marinara sauce.
Repeat the layers of pasta, the remaining ricotta, sauce, and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top layer of mozzarella.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes total. After 30 minutes, remove the aluminum foil. Let the lasagna rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice and serve.
Red lentil soup
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients
. 3 tbsp organic olive oil
. 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
. 1 large onion, diced
. 1 tbsp tomato paste
. 1 tsp ground cumin
. ½ tsp sea salt 
. ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
. ¼ tsp ground chilli powder
. 1.4 L vegetable/chicken stock
. 1 cup red lentils
. 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
. Juice of ½ lemon 
. 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and then add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring for about 4 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chilli powder, and sauté for another few minutes, stirring once or twice.
Add the broth, lentils and carrots and bring to a simmer. Then cover and turn the heat down to low and simmer until the lentils are soft, for about 30 minutes. Adjust the seasoning. Using a blender, purée half the soup and return to the pot.
Stir in the lemon juice and the fresh herbs and serve with a drizzle of olive oil or a dollop of yoghurt or sour cream on top.
Baked potato skins 
Serves: 6
Ingredients
. 3 medium russet potatoes
. 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
. ½ tsp paprika
. ½ tsp garlic powder 
. ¼ tsp salt 
. ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
. 3 slices turkey bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
. ¼ cup sour cream
. Snipped fresh chives
Method
Scrub the potatoes and wrap in foil. Bake at 190°C for 75-90 minutes or until tender when pierced with fork, then refrigerate until chilled.
Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; use a knife to score the potato inside, then cut into halves and scoop out extra potato (this makes it easier to scoop out without cracking them) and set the extra potato aside.
Mix the melted butter with paprika, garlic and salt. Place potatoes skin-side up on a baking sheet and brush with the melted butter. Bake until hot and the skin begins to crisp.
Flip potatoes over and brush the sides; bake until golden. Sprinkle cheese into the potato cavities and top with the turkey bacon crumbles. Bake until the cheese melts.
Dot skins with sour cream, snipped chives and salt to taste.
Spaghetti with pecorino romano and pepper 
Serves: 2
 Ingredients
. Salt to taste
. 225 gm dry spaghetti 
. ¾ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano, divided
. 1 ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus extra 
Method
Boil a large pot of lightly salted water. Cook spaghetti to al dente according to package directions, stirring frequently to keep it from clumping together. Reserve about half-a-cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta quickly, returning it still dripping to the cooking pot.
Sprinkle half the Pecorino Romano and all of the ground black pepper over the pasta, along with 2 tbsp of the reserved pasta water. Toss with wooden spoons to coat pasta evenly with cheese and pepper.
Divide between two pasta bowls. Grind additional black pepper over the plates to give it a nice freckled look. Sprinkle remaining Pecorino Romano over the plates. Serve.
Homemade chicken pot pie
Serves: 8
Ingredients
For the crust:
. ½ cup cold, unsalted butter, diced
. 3-4 tbsp cold water
. 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
. ¼ tsp salt
 For the filling:
. 6 tbsp unsalted butter
. 1 cup diced onion
. ½ cup diced celery
. 6 tbsp all-purpose flour
. 4 cups chicken stock
. ½ cup peeled, diced carrot
. 1 tbsp olive oil
. 280 gm sliced mushrooms
. 450 gm cooked chicken meat, diced
. 1 cup frozen peas
. 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
. 1 ½ tbsp fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
. 1 ½ tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
. Salt and pepper, to taste
. 1 large egg yolk
. 2 tbsp milk or cream
Method
To make the dough, place the butter in a bowl and freeze for at least 20 minutes. Chill the water in a measuring cup until needed.
Pour the flour into a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into the bowl with a knife. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Sprinkle the water into the dough a little at a time and mix. The dough should incorporate all the flour, but shouldn't be wet and sticky.
Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead gently. Flatten it into a 6- or 7-inch circle, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Return the chilled dough to the floured work surface and roll it out until you have a 14- to 15-inch circle. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet and chill until ready to use.
For the filling, melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add onion and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally until softened (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and whisk in flour. Return to heat and continue to whisk for 2-3 minutes (do not let the flour brown).
Remove pan from heat, add about 1 cup of the stock and whisk until mixture is smooth and paste-like. Whisk in the remaining stock. Add carrots, and return to heat, simmering for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water and set aside. Preheat oven to 160°C.
Heat olive oil in a separate pan and sauté mushrooms over high heat until golden, about 10-12 minutes. Add mushrooms, chicken, peas, chives, parsley and thyme to the filling. Add salt and pepper, to taste. If the mixture seems too soupy, simmer until it thickens.
Set the saucepan into the bowl of ice water. Stir occasionally until it cools (so the filling doesn't soften the dough too much when it is placed on top). Pour cooled filling into a 9-inch pie pan.
Drape the dough over the top of the filling, rolling the edges to form a thick rope along the edge of the pan. Crimp or form a decorative border as desired. 
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with the milk and use a pastry brush to lightly glaze the surface of the pie.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown and crisp.
Transfer to a wire rack and let it cool for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot, in wide shallow bowls.
Basic banana bread
Makes: 1 8-inch loaf
Ingredients
. 2-3 very ripe bananas, peeled
. 1/3 cup melted butter
. 1 tsp baking soda
. Pinch of kosher salt
. ¾ cup sugar (or as desired)
. 1 large egg, beaten
. 1 tsp vanilla extract
. 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C and grease a 4x8-inch loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until the lumps are mostly gone. Stir the melted butter in with the mashed bananas. Mix in the baking soda and pinch of salt. Then stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour. Stir until completely combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, and bake it for 50-60 minutes at 175°C or until a butter knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Gently remove the cooled loaf from the pan. Slice and serve.  
- The Christian Science Monitor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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