Ask Jen about comfort food

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I sure did. Any time a giant meal is involved, I have a great time. Haha!

Now that the Christmas season has officially started, the Christmas season meal planning is underway, too. I don’t know about you, but as soon as the weather gets cold, I bust out the homemade chicken noodle soup, the meatloaf, the dumplings, the plethora of baked goods … you know, the good old-fashioned American comfort food.

What’s yours? That one food that you can smell from a mile away. Your absolute favorite thing in the world to eat. Is it something your mom made? Something you make? Something you buy already cooked? Is it a meal or a snack?

We all have that one that makes us salivate at the mention of it.  I’m talking like, eyes closed, head back, slowly stuttering, “Ah, Mom’s Chicken Noodle Soup. Mmmm…”

This is by far, the single best chicken soup recipe on the planet. I mean, it’s my mom’s, so yeah. (I love you, mom! Want to make soup this weekend?)

I make mom’s soup several times a year, but it just isn’t mom’s soup, you know what I mean? Tell me I’m not crazy; this happens to you too, right? I better practice more (with mom teaching me, or just taking over… I’m fine either way).

Here is another bit of awesomeness: and it’s even more awesome because people ask for my cheesy potatoes (and it’s way easier to make than the soup). When you invite this girl to a covered dish meal, this is what I’m bringing. You won’t be disappointed.

Go make something awesome,
Jen  

Cheesy Potato Casserole

• 3-4 cups prepared mashed potatoes
• 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. parsley flakes
• 1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped fine
• 3 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into 6 pieces (sliced from a stick)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Stir the potatoes, soup, sour cream, black pepper, parsley and onion in a medium bowl. Spoon the potato mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish, and dot with butter. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Bake at 350°F. for 30 minutes or until the potato mixture is hot.