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Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Winter Comfort Foods {Recipes}


Comfort & Joy!
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My favorite comfort foods for winter months include 2 tried and true dishes. Both recipes are great Southern comfort food choices. Just when it’s time to lose some weight, I am sharing this with you, my readers. Be strong!
1. Macaroni & Cheese {Gruyere}
GruyereMacNcheese600x3993
Ingredients
  • 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon grated or very finely chopped garlic
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese (8 oz)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1. Cook and drain macaroni as directed on package.
2. In 10-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Using whisk, stir in flour, salt and garlic. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until mixture smells nutty and is lightly golden, stirring constantly with whisk.
3. Add milk. Continue to beat with whisk, scraping bottom of skillet until mixture heats to boiling. Mixture will thicken. Remove from heat; add cheese and rosemary. Stir with whisk until smooth. Stir in drained macaroni.
4. Serve with additional rosemary if desired.
After cooking but before adding cheese, if sauce is lumpy, either strain or add to a blender and turn on high until smooth before adding cheese. I really like this recipe with a crunchy top crust. For a crunchy top crust, spread macaroni and cheese in a baking dish, and place under the broiler for a few minutes, watching carefully, until golden brown. Prep time: 15 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 This recipe is from Angie McGowan of Eclectic Recipes at bettycrocker.com. It is delicious!
2. Corn Casserole
corn
Ingredients
  • 2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) plus 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 2 pounds frozen shoepeg corn, thawed
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed (about 1 cup)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
In a bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 cup butter and milk; stir in the corn and add salt and pepper to taste. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter. In a small bowl, combine the crackers and melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over the corn mixture. Bake until bubbly, about 30 minutes.
Hand on: 10 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Servings: 18 
Both recipes have been tried by yours truly on a number of occasions, and I can attest to the fact that they are both DELICIOUS!
I am linking this post to Alison at The Polohouse today for her Favorites on the First, Winter Comfort Foods. Alison has been a huge supporter of the Uptown Acorn during its first year, so it is pleasure joining this “party” each month.
favoritesonthe1st
Winter Comfort Foods, y’all!





16 comments:

  1. Both of those recipes sound wonderful. We LOVE mac and cheese..as do the grandkids- I will be trying this recipe- xo Diana

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  2. Happy New Year Ron!!
    OMG do those sound good!! Definitely keeping these recipes!

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  3. Don't do corn, but that Mac sounds fabulous!!!! Will be pinning that one!
    Nancy

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  4. Oh my word! I'm a such a lover of comfort foods! Those two recipes look heavenly. May have to try them out. Losing weight? I should work on that. Could stand to lose about 10 lbs (as I discussed with my doctor back in November). Sounds pretty easy huh? However, I don't have a lot of willpower. Like I said, I love comfort foods! LOL!

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  5. I might also add some buttered panko to the mac and cheese as a topping!
    N

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  6. YUM! Gosh, both of those looks sooo good. Bet they'd be great with some left over black eyed peas and turnip greens.

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  7. The recipes sound soooo delicious that I printed them out immediately. I have to show my ignorance and ask-
    what is shoepeg corn?

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  8. I will eat healthy, I will eat healthy.....*sigh*
    It isn't working....I really want to try that macaroni and cheese recipe!!!!!! I'll let you know if I fail miserablely and decide to give it a whirl. You are a bad influence on me!!!! ;o)
    Happy New Year!
    ~Des

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  9. Loving comfort foods! The corn casserole is a keeper. Now all I need is some pot roast or meatloaf with them! YUM! Thanks, Ron!

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  10. Hi Ron!

    That is just the sweetest closing comment you made there about the PH blog. THANKS so much, sweet friend!

    These recipes are GREAT!
    Both of my kids live for mac and cheese and will not eat a homemade version because nothing ever compares (for them) to the Stouffer's frozen version! Ugg.
    And that to me is not what I remember my grandma making when I was little so I quit eating mac and cheese years ago.
    However.... maybe I can renew my love of m&c with your recipe. It sounds fantastic!!! This is something I know my husband would like too.

    Your corn casserole is similar to one I make on Thanksgiving, but I bet your spin is probably even richer with layered textures -- cream cheese and then the added Ritz crunch -- sounds reallly good!

    Thanks so much for sharing.
    I love it when you stop by!

    Happy, happy new year to you, Ron.
    May the new year bring you many blessings.

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  11. Mac and cheese is definitely comfort food! Happy New Year, Ron.......Sarah

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  12. Hey Ron and J. Happy New Year!!!
    Thank-You so much for sharing such Yummy looking Recipes. I can not wait to try them both, ASAP!!!
    Do you by chance have any Recipes for Meyer Lemons? Thought I would ask, as I am planning to raid a tree of a friend, whom does not want them!!!!

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    Replies
    1. Hi Sunny! I have no idea about Meyer lemons. I use them to spice up my cocktails...LOL. Cheers!

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  13. I made your corn casserole for Matthew's Christmas potluck luncheon, and he said everyone loved it. I had to send them the recipe! Thanks for sharing these again. They are both saved in my recipe file. :)

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  14. Mac and cheese has to be the ultimate comfort food. I love the idea of adding some rosemary.

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  15. Your Mac and Cheese has grown-up! I love it!

    Linking from Alison's (late to the party as usual....)

    Happy New Year!
    Ricki Jill

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Thanks for reading and commenting @ The Uptown Acorn! I love hearing from you. Cheers, y'all!