Home cooking has become more common since the initial and recent pandemic-related closings of restaurants and limited seating during the weeks in between. This week they reopened with limited hours, so we will still be cooking at home for a while.
Not only does cooking at home save money, it gives us a chance to try new recipes. This time of year that means enjoying comfort food dishes, whether they are hearty soups and stews, macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup, meatloaf or cheesecake.
We all have our own definition of which foods give us comfort. One study divided college students’ comfort-food favorites into categories: nostalgic foods, indulgence foods, convenience foods, and physical comfort foods.
They could be foods you identify with home cooking like chicken soup or apple pie. Or they could be the ones we choose to reward ourselves such as ice cream, cookies and cake.
While January is traditionally a month to take stock and decide whether calorie-cutting is in order, that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite comfort foods. All you have to do is lighten each recipe whenever you can, and remember not to overeat. Some leftovers such as meatloaf and lasagna taste even better the next day when the flavors meld together.
Choose lighter meats to use in your recipes such as bison or chicken, low-fat milks in place of full-fat milk, sour cream or half-and-half. The same goes for cheeses; find the lower-fat versions.
Then take your time eating each meal, savoring the flavors and the comfort it offers during the cold days of winter as we wait for spring to return.
This recipe from tasteofhome.com calls for the flavors of cheeseburgers in a creamy soup. If you want to cut calories, Velveeta offers a 2% milk version of its cheese loaf. If you don’t like jalapeno peppers, simply omit them.
Cheeseburger Paradise Soup
6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small carrot, grated
1 small onion, chopped
½ cup chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
3 cups water
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds ground beef
½ pound sliced fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
5 cups 2% milk, divided
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 package (16 ounces) Velveeta, cubed
Crumbled cooked bacon
In a Dutch oven, bring the first 9 ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and mushrooms in butter over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add to soup. Stir in 4 cups milk; heat through.
In a small bowl, combine flour and remaining milk until smooth; gradually stir into soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; stir in cheese until melted. Garnish with bacon.
Note: Wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers. Avoid touching your face.
Nutrition: 1 cup: 370 calories, 20g fat (10g saturated fat), 79mg cholesterol, 947mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 1g fiber), 23g protein.
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