Facing another wet and windy commute home? We feel you. Cheer up these dark, wet and windy evenings with these ultimate comfort foods. Get into your comfiest pyjamas and biggest woolliest jumper with a bowlful of one of these deliciously warming recipes and let your cares melt away.

Hearty Vegetable Soup

Nothing is more fitting for warming up your frozen fingers than a steaming bowl of chunky vegetable soup. It’s easy to make, delicious and healthy. What more could you ask for?

What You’ll Need

Olive oil

1 Onion

2 Garlic Cloves

2 Potatoes

3 Carrots

2 Celery Stalks

1 Leek

Salt

Pepper

1 Litre Vegetable Stock

1 Can White Beans (Cannellini, Butter Beans, etc.)

Coriander

Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the chopped onion and leek until they are soft. Add in chopped carrots, celery and potatoes, then cook for 10 minutes. Add the beans, vegetable stock and seasoning. Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes. Serve hot with crusty bread and butter.

 

Bread and Butter Pudding

This understated British classic is the perfect pick me up on those grim wet weather days. Golden and sweet, dotted with juicy sultanas and filled with creamy custard. And it’s so easy to make, too!

What You’ll Need

8 Slices of Bread (crusts cut off)

150g Sultanas

100g Butter

2 tsp Mixed Spice

150ml Milk

300ml Double Cream

2 Eggs

75g Sugar

Heat your oven to 180ºC. Grease a baking dish with butter, then butter your bread slices, before cutting into strips or triangles (whichever you prefer). Add a layer of bread to the bottom of your dish, topping it with sultanas and a pinch of mixed spice. Repeat until all the ingredients have been used up. Next, warm the milk and double cream in a saucepan (careful not to let it boil). Whisk the eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl and add the warmed milk and cream to the mix. Strain through a sieve. Pour over the dish and bake for 30-40 minutes.

 

Apple Crumble

What better way to use up the last of those autumn apples than with a delicious bowl of apple crumble with ice cream and custard? This recipe takes us back to crisp autumn evenings, enjoying a scrumptious crumble topped with cream and custard after a long refreshing walk through the countryside.

What You’ll Need

3 Large Apples (peeled, cored and sliced)

175g Plain Flour

150g Sugar

100g Butter

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Toss the apples with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Layer them at the bottom of a baking dish. Add the flour, butter and the remaining sugar to a mixing bowl and using your fingers, rub them together to make a crumbly texture. Pour the mix over the apples and press down, ensuring it is evenly spread. Bake for 35 minutes until the topping is golden brown. Serve with ice cream, custard or cream, whichever you prefer.

 

Macaroni Cheese

This dish, favoured by our neighbours across the pond, is a gooey, cheesy, carb filled wonder. Make it your own by adding spinach, a hint of mustard or even pancetta.

What You’ll Need

250g Macaroni

1 Garlic Clove

500ml Milk

250g Cheddar (grated)

2 Tbsp Flour

50g Parmesan

3 Tbsp Butter

Boil the macaroni until tender, then drain and set aside. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add garlic and flour and cook for a minute. Add milk and whisk gently until the mixture is lump free. Simmer until the mixture has thickened, then remove from the heat. Stir in the grated cheddar and pasta. Pour into a baking dish and leave in the oven for 20 minutes until the top is browned.

 

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

The beauty of the humble slow cooker. Switch it on before you leave in the morning and forget about it until you stumble through the front door, greeted by the mouthwatering scents wafting down the corridor. This beef stew is the perfect dish to come home to after a long day. And thanks to the magic of slow cooking, you hardly have to do a thing.

What You’ll Need

1 Onion (chopped)

2 Celery Stalks (chopped)

Olive Oil

3 Carrots (chopped)

900g Diced Beef

Bay Leaves

Thyme

Worcestershire Sauce

600ml Beef Stock

2 Potatoes (cubed)

Rosemary

Tomato Purée

Heat olive oil in a frying pan and cook the beef for 2 minutes until lightly browned. Add the beef and chopped vegetables into the slow cooker, along with the stock, 2 tablespoons of tomato purée and seasoning. Cover and cook on low for a minimum of 6 hours. If desired, you can add a dash of flour to thicken the sauce.

 

Mushroom Risotto

Perfect for veggies, this tasty risotto requires a little bit of tending, but the results are undoubtedly worth it. For a little extra flavour, consider adding a splash of dry white wine to the pan. Everyone loves risotto and this dish is sure to impress.

What You’ll Need

Olive Oil

1 Onion

2 Garlic Cloves

400g Mushrooms

Thyme

Salt

Pepper

White Wine (if desired)

Parmesan 300g

Arborio Rice

750ml Vegetable Stock

200g Peas (frozen)

In a pan, cook the onions and garlic in olive oil. Then, add the rice. Cook for a few minutes, before adding the stock and seasoning. Add the peas and continue to cook on a medium heat until the liquid has been absorbed, stirring regularly. Top with parmesan to serve (optional).

 

Cheese and Spinach Pasta Bake

Can you ever have too much cheese? This cheesy pasta bake with spinach will delight cheese lovers with its strong flavour and simple process. If you’re not a fan of spinach, try artichoke or leek so you can say you’ve had at least some greens amongst all that dairy.

What You’ll Need

250g Spinach

100g Fusilli

300ml Milk

150g Cheddar

2 Tbsp Flour

50g Parmesan

3 Tbsp Butter

Preheat the oven to 180ºC. In the meantime, place the washed spinach in a pan over medium heat and cover until wilted. Boil the pasta until tender. In another pan, melt the butter, before adding flour and milk. Stir until free of lumps. Add the grated cheddar, pasta and spinach. Add the mixture to a baking dish and sprinkle parmesan on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes.

 

Sausage Casserole

Embrace the season with sausages, apple and a dash of cider. The perfect warming autumn dish. You can also do this in the slow cooker. Just cook on low for 4-6 hours. Imagine coming home after a long day to this just waiting for you to dig in spoon first.

What You’ll Need

Olive Oil

6 Sausages

3 Potatoes (peeled and cubed)

1 Onion

4 Carrots

300ml Dry Cider

175ml Chicken Stock

Thyme

Rosemary

1 Apple (peeled, cored and diced)

Preheat the oven 180ºC. Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently fry the sausages. Set aside once cooked. Cook the potatoes in boiling water until soft. Drain the water and set aside. In the frying pan, cook the carrots and onion until golden. Add the stock and cider to a large pan and bring it to the boil. Add a dash of flour to thicken the mixture. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add sausages and herbs, followed by the apple and potatoes. Transfer to a dish and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

 

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Classic comfort food. Old fashioned sticky toffee pudding is just the ticket for a cold night in. Warm delicious sponge with a rich and gooey toffee coating. Pure heaven. And it’s simple to make, especially with Nigella’s brilliant top tip for making the sauce.

What You’ll Need

100g Dark Brown Sugar

175g Self Raising Flour

150ml Milk

1 Egg

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

50g Melted Butter

175g Dates (chopped)

 

For the sauce:

200g Dark Brown Sugar

25g Butter

500ml Boiling Water

Preheat your oven to 180ºC and butter a pudding dish. Mix together the sugar, flour, egg, butter, milk and vanilla. Fold in the chopped dates, then add the mixture to the dish. Sprinkle over the sugar and add dabs of butter to the top. Using an expert tip from Nigella, pour the boiling water over the dish and then bake in the oven for 50 minutes.

 

Rice Pudding

Remember Grandma’s rice pudding? Thick and creamy with a golden skin on top. The ultimate in comfort food. While super easy to make, this one does take a little while. So, why not make one of our suggested comforting main courses while you wait for your rice to cook to pudding perfection?

What You’ll Need

100g Pudding Rice

700ml Milk

75g Granulated Sugar

Grated Nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 150ºC. Place the rice and sugar in a baking dish. Stir in the milk and add a sprinkle of nutmeg. Bake in the oven for 2 hours, stirring halfway through.

 

Chilli

Whether you like your chilli extra spicy or a little milder, chilli con carne is great comfort food. Hearty, filling and with plenty of flavour. Plus, it’s packed with vegetables. Chilli is a great way to use up your veg, from carrots to courgettes. This recipe uses a dash of cocoa powder to really bring out the meaty flavours. Serve with a dollop of soured cream for some extra comfort.

What You’ll Need

Olive Oil

500g Minced Beef

1 Onion

1 Red Pepper

2 Garlic Cloves

2 Carrots

2 Celery Sticks

Chilli Powder

1 tin Kidney Beans

300ml Beef Stock

1 tin Chopped Tomatoes

Cumin

Paprika

Cocoa Powder

2 Tbsp Tomato Purée

Soured Cream (to serve)

Heat the oil in a large pan, before adding the chopped onion and garlic cloves. After a few minutes, add the pepper (chopped), celery (chopped), carrots (chopped) 1 heaped tsp of chilli powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp cocoa powder and 1 tsp paprika. Five minutes later, add the minced beef and cook until browned. Next, pour in 300ml of beef stock. Add chopped tomatoes and tomato purée. Bring the mixture to a boil then turn the heat low, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and add the kidney beans. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes, seasoning to taste. Serve with rice and soured cream.

 

Molten Chocolate Pudding

Is your mouth watering? It should be. This rich, indulgent molten chocolate dessert is the perfect date night comfort food. And it’s actually really easy to make! We recommend using a machine to whisk the ingredients. Although, all that whisking by hand is sure to warm you up pretty quickly!

What You’ll Need

100g Dark Chocolate

100g Butter

150g Light Brown Soft Sugar

3 Eggs

½ tsp Vanilla Extract

50g Plain Flour

Single Cream (to serve)

Preheat your oven to 200ºC/180ºC Fan. Prepare individual ramekin dishes by greasing with butter and flouring. In a saucepan on a low heat, melt the butter and chocolate. Set aside. Machine whisk the eggs, sugar, flour and vanilla until combined. Fold in the chocolate mixture. Place the mix in the prepared ramekins and bake for 10 minutes. Leave to cool for a few minutes, then serve with single cream.

 

Now, you can look forward to those cold, drizzly evenings as an opportunity to tuck into some deliciously warming comfort foods. Why not give one of these recipes a go?

 

Browse a range of Bosch cooking appliances, including ovens, hobs and microwaves, here at Appliances R Us. For unbeatable prices and fast delivery throughout West Drayton, choose Appliances R Us.