Cozy Cuisine
TrooRa Contributors’ Favorite Comfort Foods
Written by: Cristina Deptula
We’re serving up some favorite comfort foods from some TrooRa staff members in this article, with the recipes and the stories behind them. This piece includes various American classics such as butternut squash soup and mashed potatoes and gravy, Jamaican oxtail stew, champorado from the Philippines, bobotie casserole from South Africa, Indian and Pakistani Sooji Ka Halwa, and chicken skewers, a worldwide treat.
With the changing weather, it’s time to turn to your favorite comfort foods! Here are some suggestions from TrooRa staff that you might enjoy.
Various Fall Recommendations from Conor Douglas
Butternut Squash Soup at the Red Grape Restaurant (Sonoma, CA) ℅ Sarah Stierch
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Butternut_squash_soup_-_Red_Grape_-_Sarah_Stierch_-_2019.jpg
Conor Douglas, TrooRa’s email marketing manager in the US, suggests a wide variety of favorite foods.
From Conor:
- Butternut Squash Soup – Creamy and slightly sweet, this soup is ideal for chilly days. Add a touch of nutmeg or cinnamon for extra warmth.
- Beef Stew – Slow-cooked beef stew with carrots, potatoes, and celery is a classic that’s both filling and flavorful. Serve with crusty bread.
- Chicken Pot Pie – A flaky, buttery crust filled with tender chicken, peas, carrots, and creamy gravy makes for a perfect cozy dinner.
- Mac and Cheese – Baked mac and cheese with a golden, crunchy top layer is always a crowd-pleaser. Add some bacon or jalapeños for extra flair.
- Stuffed Acorn Squash – Fill roasted acorn squash with a mix of wild rice, cranberries, and pecans for a sweet-savory dish that feels seasonal and hearty.
- Mashed Potatoes and Gravy – A classic side that pairs well with almost anything, and is perfect with turkey, roast chicken, or steak.
- Shepherd’s Pie – Layers of ground meat, vegetables, and mashed potatoes make this dish comforting and satisfying.
- Pumpkin Risotto – Creamy risotto made with pumpkin, sage, and Parmesan brings out rich flavors that feel very November.
- Chili – A warm bowl of chili, whether with beef, turkey, or veggie-based, topped with cheese and sour cream, is perfect for a cozy night in.
- Apple Crisp – For dessert, an apple crisp with warm spiced apples and a crunchy oat topping served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is a must.
Jamaican Oxtail Stew from Contributing Writer Angelique Redwood
https://www.flickr.com/photos/35034346243@N01/331346824
Angelique Redwood, a contributing writer at TrooRa Magazine, recommends Jamaican oxtail stew. From Angelique:
Oxtail Stew with Fried Plantains
Having two very busy parents means my favorite dinners are as simple as can be. Quickly cooked with love and care, Papa Redwood’s Oxtail Stew blends together perfectly with Mama Redwood’s fried plantains to create a divine concoction of sweet and savory flavors, a large dinner to feed the whole family.
Cook Time: 25 – 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Oxtail (1 lb.)
- Plantain (2)
- Thyme (To taste)
- Onion (1, diced)
- Garlic (1, diced)
- Scotch Bonnet Peppers (To taste)
- Two cups of water
Starting with a large pot, high heat, and prepared meat market oxtail, my father tosses the oxtail into a pot with two cups of water and a blend of natural spices. The oxtail simmers on high and mixes with the added thyme, onion, garlic, scotch bonnet peppers, and whatever else can be thrown in from the pantry while Mama Redwood slices up plantains and prepares a pan on medium heat.
After the oxtail stew comes to a radiating boil, Papa Redwood lowers the heat all the way down to a slow burn, letting the cups of water evaporate and the oxtail grease take over as he gently stirs every five minutes. By this point, sweet, savory, and spicy smells are wafting through the house so strongly that the rest of the family races to the kitchen for the final steps.
A napkin’s prepared on a plate, bowls are set out on the table, and bellies rumble louder as Papa Redwood watches the last of the oxtail grease evaporate under his stirring spoon and Mama Redwood pops the greasy, sliced fried plantains onto the prepared plate. A feast made for Jamaican kings and queens, the whole family then grabs their share and chows down with purpose, as if our tummies are screaming for the all-too-familiar Jamaican nourishment.
Even with Jamaica far away, the tender love and care of the island is immediately felt through the Redwood’s Oxtail Stew with Fried Plantains.
Champorado from the Philippines from Marianne Belen
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champorado#/media/File:Champorado.jpg
Angelique Redwood, a contributing writer at TrooRa Magazine, recommends Jamaican oxtail stew. From Angelique:
Copy analyst and lead proofreader Marianne Belen recommends everyone try some delicious champorado from the Philippines, which brings back memories from her childhood.
Short History:
Champorado originated in Mexico and was brought to the Philippines by Mexican traders during the Spanish colonial period. The dish was originally a chocolate drink called “champurrado,” but Filipinos adapted it by adding rice, as Filipinos love rice, and making it a full breakfast meal. Now, it can also be eaten as a dessert or “meryenda” [snack].
Flavors:
From classic chocolate to Ube, White chocolate, strawberry, and pandan
Unusual but true:
Champorado can be served hot or cold and is often paired with salted dried fish (daing, dilis [anchovy], or tuyo), for a unique balance of sweet and savory flavors.
Here are some ways to pair champorado with other foods: Ube champorado with cheesy pandesal, double chocolate with potato chips, Strawberry cheesecake, and Ube Panna Cotta champorado with ube bits and creamy panna cotta.
For low carbs, there’s Keto Champorado.
Now, we can just go to a convenience store and buy instant champorado, ready in two flavors: chocolate and ube. But homemade is still the best, of course.
Chicken Skewers from Sikander
Chicken skewers ℅ Garrett Ziegler
https://www.flickr.com/photos/garrettziegler/ (Creative Commons)
Contributing writer Sikander recommends chicken skewers.
From Sikander:
Chicken Skewers
(Comforting, Easy to Cook, and they go great even as a side!)
Looking for an incredibly flavorful and quick recipe you can make? Here’s a quick and excellent recipe for chicken skewers that’s going to be the highlight of your next dinner party!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 kg chicken breast
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp pepper
- 1/2 tbsp paprika
- hot sauce
- half a lemon
- neutral oil
- butter
Method:
1) Cut your chicken breast into cubes and move into a bowl
2) Into the bowl, add salt, pepper, paprika, hot sauce as per your liking, and squeeze half a lemon into this marinade. These are the components of a basic marinade, other spices CAN be used as per your liking
3) Let this mixture rest for 30-40 minutes
4) Once the chicken is marinated, take wooden skewers and start placing the chicken on them. 5-6 pieces on each skewer depending on the size of the chicken cubes
5) Once done, put some neutral cooking oil on a grill plate or wide frying pan for more area and make sure the oil is a little hot. Remember, we are only grilling these skewers and not deep frying!
6) Put the skewers into the pan and grill for 5-6, turning once after 2.5-3 minutes while basting the skewers with butter
7) Take them off the grill and wait a minute or two to cool down. Serve these skewers with garlic rice or any condiment of choice.
South African Bobotie from Kim Stone
South African Bobotie ℅ Olga Ernst
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bobotie,_South_African_dish.jpg
Senior editorial design director Kim Stone loves bobotie, a traditional South African dish of spiced minced meat (beef, pork, or lamb) with an egg-based topping. It’s often made with curry powder and slightly tangy, and is usually served with yellow rice (rice with a saffron topping).
Dried fruits and garnishes such as walnuts and bay leaves often accompany bobotie, which goes back at least as far as the 17th century in South Africa. The meal may have come via European settlers as it resembles a meal served in the Roman Empire and was found in old Dutch cookbooks or from Malaysians who brought their traditional spices.
Kim Stone suggests a delicious recipe from Taste Of The Place: https://tasteoftheplace.com/bobotie/
Sooji ka Halwa, a dessert suggested by contributing writer Nida K.
Sooji Ka Halwa, image ℅ Muni Akter Mim
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suji_ka_halwa#/media/File:%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0_%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC%E0%A6%BE.jpg
Nida K., contributing writer at TrooRa, recommends her favorite dessert, Sooji ka Halwa.
From Nida:
Sooji ka Halwa: A Sweet Comfort from Home
This is one of the most beloved comfort foods and desserts from Pakistan and India. The sweet aroma of lightly roasted semolina mixed with ghee (clarified butter), sugar, cardamom, and milk is enough to make Sooji ka Halwa an unforgettable treat.
Its versatility is unmatched—it’s equally delightful as a warm, comforting dessert or as part of a more indulgent meal when paired with Puri (fried, puffed flatbread) for a classic Sunday brunch. Now that I’m here in Canada, this dish was one of the first traditional recipes I made sure to learn. Each spoonful brings a taste of home, and I love sharing this nostalgic dessert with friends and family.
Here’s a recipe: https://www.teaforturmeric.com/traditional-sooji-ka-halwa-semolina-halwa/
Wrap your favorite afghan around yourself, make a cup of tea, and enjoy one or more of these dishes!
