Comfort Food is a Love Language❤️❤️❤️

Published: Tue, 02/06/24

It's the rituals - big and small - that allow us to connect with all the love behind us, and all the love yet to come.
 
 
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"Indulge in the delightful embrace of comfort foods, where each bite is like a warm hug, transforming any day into a cozy and flavorful treasure."

❤️Comfort Food is a Love Language❤️

~A Few Words From Susan~

Food is a love language and comfort foods are the foundation of how we experience love through food.
 
This week, we have a video that shares the top comfort food in every US state. It's interesting that some very common comfort foods did not make the cut - perhaps because they are national favorites, so didn't make a regional list?
 
My go-to comfort foods include spaghetti and meatballs, macaroni and cheese, and a few specific family recipes involving pasta and rice...none of which made the list.😞
 
Even though macaroni and cheese didn't make the Top Comfort Foods list, my grandmother's mac and cheese was a top comfort food for me growing up in New York, and is now nourishing the bodies and souls of my children and grandchildren in Massachusetts. I'm sharing the recipe (including Gram's "secret ingredient") with you below.
 
Please leave your comments under the Top Comfort Foods video on YouTube, letting us know which are your personal comfort foods.

 

Enjoy,

Susan

 
 

Trivia Question❓

What beloved comfort food is typically made with a simmering broth, tender pieces of meat, and a selection of vegetables?

Answer at the bottom of the newsletter

 

Video: Top Comfort Foods

Did Your Favorite Make the List?

 

Tip of the Day

 

Looking for a cozy and delightful way to elevate your mashed potatoes? 

 

Try sprucing up your mashed potatoes by mixing in some cream cheese and garlic for a heavenly twist.

This simple trick will take your favorite comfort dish to the next level, leaving everyone begging for seconds!

 

Macaroni and Cheese

I grew up with dueling recipes for macaroni and cheese. My father's mother, who would frequently say that her philosophy was to "eat to live", not "live to eat", made homemade mac and cheese by using a can of Campbell's cheddar cheese soup for the sauce. It was basic and did the job, but did not hold a candle to the mac and cheese that my mother's mother made.

Gram's mac and cheese sauce consisted of a white sauce mixed with cheddar cheese, Parmesan, and - her secret ingredient - one small grated onion. She used shells for the pasta, as they held the cheese sauce perfectly.

An interesting side note is that after my eldest daughter was born my mother's younger sister visited and made her version of mac and cheese - which consisted of nothing more than ziti baked with cubes of Velveeta. I never asked her why she didn't use her mother's recipe - perhaps she decided the simplicity of Velveeta was more her style? up with dueling recipes for macaroni and cheese. My fa
Anyway to make Gram's macaroni and cheese, you'll need one pound of shells, and...

  • 2 cups of milk
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 4 Tablespoons flour
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 10 ounces grated sharp cheddar
  • 1/2 cup (or more if you like) grated Parmesan
  • 1 small onion, grated

I use the microwave for the white sauce, but you can make it on the stove as well. For the microwave method, I use an 8 cup Pyrex measuring cup, and melt the butter and flour together for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk. I cook on high until it starts to thicken, stopping to whisk every 2 minutes to check and see if it's done. It usually takes about 6 minutes. If you use the stove, you'll melt the butter and flour in a saucepan, then add the milk, stirring constantly until it starts to bubble and thicken.

After your white sauce is thickened, remove from heat, add the cheese and onion, stir until melted, and season with salt and pepper as desired.

Pour over 1 lb cooked al dente pasta (large or medium shells) and bake in a 9x13 casserole dish for 30 minutes at 375 until it starts to get brown and crispy and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.

 

Special Offer for Newsletter Subscribers

 

Save 20% on Cestari's Multitool set, including a grater, measuring cup, juicer, corn stripper, and egg separator!   It's the perfect helper for your homemade mac and cheese Save 20% with code   GRATECHEESE through February 13 at the Cestari store on Amazon

 

 

Readers' Favorite Comfort Foods

 
Sarah from Texas says, "Tex-Mex comfort food is our go-to at home. My family can't resist enchiladas smothered in rich, spicy sauce and topped with melted cheese. It's a taste of home, even when we're miles away."
 
John from New York shares, "Growing up in the Big Apple, bagels with cream cheese and lox were a Sunday tradition. The combination of flavors and textures is unbeatable – it's my ultimate comfort breakfast."
 
Emily from Louisiana mentions, "Gumbo has been a part of our family gatherings for generations. The blend of spices, seafood, and sausage in a hearty stew is a taste of the South that warms the soul."
 
Lisa from Wisconsin adds, "Cheese curds are my guilty pleasure. Whether they're fried to a crispy golden brown or enjoyed fresh, their cheesy goodness is the ultimate comfort snack."
 
David from Maine shares, "Lobster rolls are a taste of coastal comfort for us Mainers. There's nothing like buttery lobster meat nestled in a perfectly toasted roll – it's pure seafood bliss."
 

💡 Answer to Trivia Question:

Chicken noodle soup.

 

 

WOULD YOU LIKE A MINI TURNTABLE?

During February, we're  focusing on how you share love through food.

  We'd love to feature some of your best tips and tricks. You can submit your thoughts by replying to this newsletter, or sending them directly to  support@cestarikitchen.com with the subject "Newsletter-February."  Every subscriber whose contribution we use will receive our mini turntable as our thank you gift.

 

 

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