Comfort food
7 hearty, stick-to-your-ribs meals you can make on a budget
Every culture has their own definition of comfort food. The 7 recipes in this article are meals you'd eat in home kitchens and classic family recipes around Canada. They're inexpensive, filling, and warm; perfect plates to fill your belly on a cold winter's day.
Nanny’s chicken and rice casserole
This is a 4-ingredient casserole made with low cost pantry staples. You make it by pouring everything into a casserole pan and putting it in the oven to bake. An hour later you'll have a delicious meal for the whole family.
Red beans and rice is a Cajun staple from Louisiana, the definition of southern comfort food. It takes a long slow cook over low heat on the stovetop, to give all the delicious flavours time to combine. Make it once on a cold afternoon, and enjoy leftovers that are even better the next day.
This dish features ground beef, veggies, and spiced tomato filling topped by creamy mashed potatoes. It takes a little bit of prep work and baking time, but just one serving can keep you warm and full for a whole afternoon.
All the best parts of breakfast in one pan! Hashbrowns, breakfast sausage, veggies and egg are the base ingredients of this casserole, but the recipe can be easily modified to use up whatever you have on hand. Make it any time you need a good start to the day, or when breakfast for dinner feels like a good treat.
Aside from the rich creamy chicken filling with flakey biscuits on top, the best part of this recipe is that anyone can make it. It's easier than you think to put together, and it'll make your house smell incredible for a whole afternoon.
Extended spaghetti sauce
This classic beef and tomato sauce is made extra hearty and filling with the addition of red lentils. A double batch of it freezes perfectly, so it's great for batch cooking, or it can be served over pasta, casseroles, or bread to make sloppy joes.
Tuna noodle casserole has gotten plenty of families through lean times. Cooking it is as simple as boiling some pasta and then baking it in a casserole dish along with a few basic pantry ingredients. If baking it is too much trouble, you can make it just as well in a microwave!