Sad? Happy? Bored? Food is the answer to everything. Here are 11 comfort food recipes that will help you get through anything in your life – and leave you feeling super satisfied.

1. Mac and Cheese

Nothing says comfort like mac and cheese. Here’s how to make it:

• 4 cups of cooked elbow macaroni
• 8 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup cream
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 200°C. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly for one minute. Whisk in milk and cream and cook, whisking constantly, until thick. Whisk in salt, pepper, 1 cup of the shredded cheese until smooth. Stir in cooked macaroni. Spoon the mixture into a greased baking dish and top with remaining cheese and breadcrumbs and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

2. Chocolate Chip Cookies

source: hotchocolatehits.com

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Beat the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. In a separate bowl, combine together the flour, baking soda, and salt in small bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture into the wet mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Spoon one rounded tablespoon two inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Nihari

• ¹⁄₂ kg beef
• salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 5 cups water

Spice Mix

• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon whole black peppercorn
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon cumin seed
• 2 small cardamom pods, seeds of
• 10 cloves
• 2 whole black cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds

Heat oil in an iron pot. Add the meat and start frying it. Add salt, chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder and ginger paste. Mix well and half a cup water. Dissolve flour in half a cup of water and add this to the meat and bring to boil. Grind all the spices until they are very fine and add them to the meat. Add 3-4 cups of water, cover, and leave to tenderize on a low flame. Cook until the meat has softened (4 hours). In a separate pan, fry the onion slices until golden brown and add to the Nihari. Also garnish with fresh coriander, ginger, and green chilies.

4. Fluffy Mashed Potatoes

• 8 – 10 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into quarters
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1/4 cup hot milk

Place potatoes in large saucepan and add enough water to cover them along with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover loosely, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes break apart easily. Drain well. Return potatoes to saucepan; shake saucepan gently over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes to evaporate any excess moisture. Mash potatoes with potato masher until no lumps remain. Add butter, pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk until smooth, gradually adding the milk to make potatoes smooth and creamy.

5. Grilled Cheese

• 2 slices of thick bread
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 slices American cheese
• 2 slices of cheddar cheese
• Black pepper

Spread mayonnaise over top side of each slice of bread. Heat a small skillet and add in half of the butter. Place one slice of bread, mayonnaise side down in the skillet, top with the cheese and black pepper. Place the second slice of bread on top of the cheese, mayonnaise side up. When the underside is golden brown, turn the sandwich and add remaining butter to skillet. Press down on the sandwich to encourage even browning and to help melt cheese. Take off the heat and serve.

6. Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1½ cup milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and instant coffee powder a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk through to combine and stir in flour mixture until combined well. Add milk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla to flour mixture and mix together until well combined. Distribute cake batter evenly into two greased cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 200°C, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Aloo Paratha

• 1½ cup whole wheat flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup water
• oil

For the filling:

• 2 cups of boiled, mashed potatoes
• 1 teaspoon coriander leaves
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
• 1 onion
• 2 green chilies
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon red powder
• ½ teaspoon lime juice

Add the flour, water, salt and 1 tablespoon of oil in a bowl and combine until a soft dough forms.  Divide the dough into two balls.  Chop the onions, green chilies, and the coriander leaves. Add the rest of the ingredients to the mashed potatoes and mix well. Take the ball of dough, flatten it on the palm. Stuff the filling in the dough and roll into balls. With a rolling pin, flatten the balls into 1/2″ thick round parathas. Grease a pan with a little oil and heat on a medium flame. Cook until both sides are golden brown.

8. Fettuccine Alfredo

• ¹⁄₂ cup butter
• 2 cups cream
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt
• Black pepper
• ²⁄₃ cup grated parmesan cheese 
• 4 cups of cooked fettuccine

In a medium saucepan, melt butter. When butter is melted, add add heavy cream, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15-20 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in parmesan. Serve over hot fettuccine noodles.

9. Cinnamon Rolls

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup  + 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 6 tablespoon butter, melted
• 4 cups bread flour

Filling:

• 6 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon cinnamon

Icing

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Brush a 9-inch square baking dish with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Whisk flour, 2 tablespoons white sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Work 3 tablespoons softened butter into flour mixture using your hands. Beat milk and egg together in another bowl; pour into flour-butter mixture and stir a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and roll dough into a 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Brush surface of dough with 2 tablespoons melted butter, followed by the sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon on top of the butter. Roll dough around filling to form a log; cut log into one inch rolls and place rolls in the prepared baking dish. Bake at 200°C for 25 minutes. Beat powdered sugar, softened butter, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until frosting is smooth. Top hot cinnamon rolls with the frosting. 

10. Loaded Nacho Fries

• 1 bag frozen fries
• 2 cups ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• taco seasoning packet
• ¹⁄₂ cup jalapeños
• 1¹⁄₂ cups cheddar cheese
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 4 green onions, diced

11. Butter Chicken

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
•  2 garlic cloves, crushed
•  1 large piece of ginger, peeled, finely grated
•  2 teaspoons ground cumin
•  2 teaspoons ground coriander
•  1 teaspoon garam masala
•  1/4 teaspoon chili powder
•  4 chicken thigh fillets, trimmed, cut into pieces
•  1 tablespoon vegetable oil
•  1/2 cup butter
•  1 brown onion, halved, thickly sliced
•  1 can tomato puree
•  1/2 cup chicken stock
•  1/2 cup thickened cream

Heat oil and butter in an iron saucepan over medium-high heat. Add  the chopped onion. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until softened, add chicken mixture to pan. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until chicken just starts to change color. Add tomato puree and stock. Cover and bring to the boil, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken is tender and mixture has thickened slightly. Stir in cream and simmer until well combined. Serve with steamed rice and coriander leaves.

Which recipe will you be trying?