Spaghetti and Meatballs

On top of spaghetti all covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed....*cue brokenhearted tears*. It was so sad!! Waaa!!!!  Okay, so technically that never happened. But the meatballs were just SO GOOD that it would have been a real tragedy. This would make a great weeknight dinner because it's easy to put together and doesn't take much time at all. This recipe serves one.

Spicy Chicken and Orange-Ginger Stir-Fry

Okay, I admit it: I purchased a pre-made bottle of sauce rather han making my own. It was probably more expensive and less healthy. But it enticed me! It wasn't my fault!! I had a coupon!!! [insert more excuses here]!!!! I also had a recipe that called for it in a conveniently commercial calendar full of recipes calling for specific products. And, might I add, full of handy cupons for things I would normally be too cheap to buy. As it turned out, the meal was tasty and easy. Sometimes, it's okay to let the cupons win out. This makes 2 modest servings.

Cheeseburger Casserole

The other day I was really, really craving a McDonald's cheeseburger. Alas, I don't live within walking distance of one, and also I'm usually too cheap to buy fast food. So, instead, I made this casserole! If I did it again, I think I'd leave out the tomato liquid, put a bit less cheese, and maybe half the pickle. But as it was it turned out delicious! This makes one really large serving, or 2 smaller ones.

Chicken Caruso

Ah , comfort food! What makes a food comforting, you ask? Well, I think it varies from one person to another, but there are probably some common elements.

Cheese is something that comforts people, I think, especially milder cheeses. They aren't shocking. They're smooth-tasting. Cheese has protein so it makes you feel sated and a little indulgent. When cheese is warm it feels creamy. I think this feeling of smoothness is something common to many forms of comfort.

For many people, carbohydrates are comforting. They're metabolized more easily into sugars than plant foods, and they make you feel satisfied. Pasta is a common comfort food.

Bacon, of course, is deliciously high in fat. It's exactly what our primitive bodies crave, and a ready source of energy.

Many people's comfort foods are things that they ate as children. Maybe it was a special treat; maybe it was a Friday-night staple. But whatever it was, it's all tangled up with memories of being happy, and safe, and satisfied. The food taps into, or fills, a certain emotional need.

I wonder if there's ever been a study done on what qualities foods possess that make people feel comforted?

Anyway, we used to have this all the time at my house, and it falls into my category of comfort foods. It's also pretty easy to make. Go ahead and try it: you won't have regrets! (well, you might, but they won't be about the food)

Baked Cheesy Pasta With Vegetables

This pasta dish was so good! It was delicious and simple, and filling without making me feel stuffed. It's nice to have your whole meal in one dish. Plus, I really appreciated the cheese. This recipe makes 2 servings, so I'll be having leftovers.

Flank Steak and Cheesy Orzo with Pistachios

This meal was really born out of leftovers. Mmmm: leftovers! I had leftover cheese and leftover flank steak and leftover pistachio. Hence: this. The pistachios aren't really necessary for it, I admit that, but I liked them. They were a nice change. I have to say, you should really cook your steak longer than I did, since mine was practically still alive in the middle. So yeah: feel free to do that.

Whole Wheat Pasta and Chicken with Garlic and Olive Oil

This is a simple, warm dish for a chilly Fall afternoon. The chicken was a tiny bit oily (because I heated it in the oil): I kind of like it that way, but if you don't, just add it to the pasta after you've mixed the pasta and sauce. If you do it that way, reduce the amount of oil by half a tablespoon and heat up the chicken somehow before putting it in.

Cracked Black Pepper Fettuccine with Scallops

This fettuccine was soooo good! I knew it would be, of course: that's why I bought it. I just left it in my cupboard for a while because I didn't know what to make with it. Finally, I decided the scallops would be perfect: light, mild-tasting -- the perfect way to showcase this amazing pasta. This recipe serves four people.

Soba Noodles With Spicy Peanut Sauce

I was a little bit disappointed with this sauce: it could have been less liquidy and maybe a bit saltier. Ah well: next time I'll try adding less water -- maybe that will do the trick. The idea was solid, though, and I liked the bits of heat that I encountered in the sauce.

Pasta with Garlic Spinach, Chicken and Parmesan

After having made the garlicky Swiss chard a while ago, I wanted to try something similar with spinach. But I also wanted to have pasta and use up some leftover chicken, and this is what I came up with! It was delicious.

Sweet Lemon Chicken with Cheesy Noodles and Cherry Tomatoes

This chicken was pretty good: mild-tasting, not too sweet. It probably would be better over rice, though. If you make the whole chicken breast, you'll have leftovers you can use for something else.

Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese

I love this macaroni and cheese so much that for a while I was eating it every single weekend. That was before this little thing called my health intervened. But finally I had it again and wow!: just as good as I remember. Here it is for everyone to enjoy!

Penne with Fresh Tomato, Basil and Garlic

This was so good, perfect for summer since you don't have to stand over a hot stove cooking lots of stuff. The cheese got nice and warm, the tomatoes were tender and the pasta was just so nice in the middle of it all. I urge anyone who actually reads this to make this recipe!

Individual Taco Lasagna

My obsession with putting taco meat in everything continues! This one was pretty much a success, although very messy to eat (as I suppose most lasagnas are). Anyway, hope this inspires you to create your own 'taco' dishes! I got the idea for a pureed vegetable mixture from having dinner with a friend, who did it for fajitas.

Warm Spinach, Orzo and Pistachio Salad

I love orzo! Okay, so the truth is I love basically everything. But I really really love pasta (like who doesn't?) and have been on a low-carb diet for quite some time now, so eating orzo was pretty amazing! This recipe was tangy and a nice combination of flavors. Without the spinach it would have been too much, but as-is it just kept from being overwhelming.

Noodles with Hearty Tomato Sauce

Pasta with sauce is kind of my weakness. Well, one of them anyway. This one turned out pretty darn good, although next time I'm going to add more salt and pepper. It's a sauce almost from scratch, so you can feel good about it!

Buttered Egg Noddles With Cheese

Mmmmmmmm buttered cheesy egg noodles! Could there be an easier, more perfect comfort food? Anyway, this isn't so much a recipe as it is common sense, but I'm posting it anyway. This should feed four to six people depending on how many noodles you generally eat.

Pasta with Savory Broccoli Sauce

I have to admit, I was a bit worried when I decided to make this because it has anchovy in it, which I hate. But really, it was quite all right. The sauce was lightly salty, and the bits of crushed red pepper made an interesting variation. It wasn't fantastic, though. And if I did make this again, I'd be sure to serve it with a slotted spoon so the extra liquid gets left behind: pasta swimming in its own sauce is not nearly as fun as it sounds.

Pasta Olio e Aglio

This pasta sauce is light and subtle, leaving the flavor and texture of the pasta to take center stage. Even though I order this in restaurants all the time, I've never made it myself before. Probably because I was worried about messing it up. But worries begone! it was surprisingly easy. The recipe I made serves four people, so either adjust it accordingly or invite some friends over for dinner.