Winter Comfort Foods

My father liked little ditties. He found them amusing, and as kids so did we. One of his favorites, which is appropriate for this time of year, goes like this:
Spring has sprung,
Fall has fell;
Winter’s here,
It’s colder than … a bear.
It isn’t necessarily colder than … a bear right now, but winter is setting in. And nothing gets a foodie through winter better than comfort food. Casseroles, mac and cheese and meatloaf can insulate you to get you through the cold months.
 
Vegetable Meatloaf With Balsamic Glaze

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small zucchini, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, run through garlic mill
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 ½ pounds lean ground turkey
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
½ cup Romano or Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup ketchup
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
 
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in large saute pan over high heat and add zucchini, diced peppers, garlic and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are al dente, about 5 minutes.
Whisk the egg and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Add the turkey, panko, grated cheese, about ½ cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and cooled vegetables. Mix until combined.
Gently press the mixture into a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. Whisk the remaining ketchup, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Brush mixture over the entire loaf. Bake for 1 hour, 15 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 8.

Kicked Up Mac And Cheese

1 ½ cups rotelle pasta
4 tablespoons butter, divided
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon dry mustard
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
2 teaspoons chili powder
 
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain pasta.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in flour and cook, stirring one minute. A little at a time, whisk in milk, mustard, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly, and boil for a minute. Remove from heat and stir in cheeses, whisking until smooth. Stir in cooked and drained pasta and pour into a shallow 2-quart baking dish.
Melt remaining butter and stir in bread crumbs and chili powder. Sprinkle over macaroni mixture.
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Serves 8.
 
Swiss Steak
 
2 pounds beef bottom round, trimmed of visible fat
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
¾ cups all purpose flour
¼ cup vegetable oil or bacon drippings
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ cups beef broth
 
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cut the meat with the grain into ½ inch slices and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the flour, salt and pepper into a shallow bowl or pie pan. Dredge the pieces of meat on both sides through the flour mixture. Tenderize the meat using a needling device until each piece is ¼ inch thick. Dredge on both sides again and set aside.
Add enough of the drippings or oil to cover the bottom of a Dutch oven, set over medium heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the steaks to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the steaks to a plate and set aside.
After removing the steaks, add onions, garlic and celery and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Add the canned tomatoes, paprika, oregano, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth, stirring to combine. Return the meat to the pot, submerging it in the liquid. Cover and place it in the oven in the middle rack. Cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours, until the meat is tender and falling apart.
Serves 4 to 6.
 
Pork Chops Alla Pizzaaiola

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1-inch thick bone-in pork loin center-cut chops (about 12 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes, 15 ounces, in juice
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence (can be found in grocery stores, includes basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, summer savory and thyme)
¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
 
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper. Add pork chops to the skillet and cook until they are browned and read 160 degrees on meat thermometer, about 3 minutes each side. Transfer chops to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Add onion to same skillet and saute over medium until crisp tender, about 4 minutes. Add canned tomatoes and juices, herbes de Provence and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer until the flavors meld and the juices slightly thicken, about 15 minutes. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper and more pepper flakes.
Return the pork chops and any accumulated juices from the plate to the skillet and turn the chops to coat with sauce. Place one chop on each plate. Spoon sauce over chops and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Serves 2.

Rich Adams is a dedicated foodie, writer and former editor of the Cheboygan Daily Tribune. He can be reached at rrileyadams@gmail.com