Cristina Ferrare making chocolate chip cookies

Comfort Foods
When it comes to food that comforts, Cristina Ferrare is an expert: "To me, all food is comfort food. I love everything about food. I love to shop for it, look at it, touch it and prepare it! It brings me comfort just anticipating going to specialty shops to find different and intriguing ingredients to use in my recipes."

Cristina's 8 favorite comfort food recipes


Cristina Ferrare's recipe for Hearty Vegetable Minestrone

Hearty Vegetable Minestrone
Today Cristina finds soup to be one of the most comforting, complete meals you can have, but she wasn't always so sure: "I can't think of a more perfect meal than a comforting, big bowl of soup. I didn't always feel that way. When I was a kid and it was 'soup night,' I wasn't a happy camper. I wanted to eat pasta every single night, period.

"I do remember, however, when I would come home from school and it was freezing outside (I grew up in Cleveland, so I'm not kidding when I say it was freezing). The minute I walked in the door, the whole house smelled so inviting. The aroma of the fresh vegetables and chicken simmering in a pot put me at ease immediately. It was a warm, comforting feeling that made me happy to be home."

Get Cristina Ferrare's Hearty Vegetable Minestrone recipe

Read Cristina Ferrare's blog on cold-weather soups
Cristina Ferrare's recipe for Kick-Butt Chili

Kick-Butt Chili
Nothing says warm in winter like chili. Cristina says: "I like to crush one or two tortilla chips over this chili for a little crunch and wash it down with an ice-cold beer! Use organic ingredients if available."

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Cristina Ferrare's recipe for Macaroni and Cheese with Truffle Oil (or Not)

Macaroni and Cheese with Truffle Oil (or Not)
Cheese, glorious cheese! Cristina Ferrare's recipe for macaroni and cheese is grown-up with a sophisticated twist.

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Cristina Ferrare's recipe for No-Fuss Cheeseburgers

No-Fuss Cheeseburgers
Perhaps nothing is more American than a good burger. "The secret to these burgers is freshly ground chuck and kosher salt for flavoring," Cristina says.

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Watch Cristina make her No-Fuss Cheeseburgers Watch  
Cristina Ferrare's recipe for Poppi's Meatballs

Poppi's Meatballs
Poppi's Meatball recipe came from Cristina's father, and preparing it always brings back special memories: "He was a simple man with simple needs, and all he needed was his family. He was a man who proudly served his country in World War II and worked a 9-to-5 job as a butcher to provide a good life for his family. He was also the best pizza-maker and made a killer sauce with meatballs! Every Sunday after church while my sister, brother and I changed into our play clothes, we could hear music coming from the living room with the sounds of Sinatra and Tony Bennett. Soon, the aroma of my dad making his meatballs would permeate the whole house, and the anticipation for the meal to come thrilled me—I could hardly contain myself!"

Get Cristina Ferrare's recipe for her Poppi's Meatballs

And don't miss Cristina's Fresh Roma Tomato Sauce and Silky Marinara Sauce recipes—a perfect complement to her Poppi's delicious meatballs and pasta!
Cristina Ferrare's Sourdough Stuffing with Sausages (or Not!) recipe

Sourdough Stuffing with Sausages (or Not!)
Cristina Ferrare's recipe for Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows

Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows
Southern cooks sure know how to make the table sweet. Add marshmallows to the delicate flavor of sweet potatoes—and no one will be able to resist.

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Get all of Cristina Ferrare's favorite holiday recipes
Cristina Ferrare's recipe for Super-Duper Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies

Super-Duper Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cristina likes to make a double batch of this delicious recipe and freeze half for later. "The best part about this cookie dough is you can wrap a pretty ribbon around the carton and give it out as a gift—which makes a great party favor. When my guests leave, they can take homemade cookie dough home so they can bake it up themselves. Everyone loves it when I do that!"

Get Cristina Ferrare's recipes for Super-Duper Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies

Watch Cristina make her Super-Duper Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies Watch  

Get all of Cristina's favorite recipes