3 classic comfort food recipes to cure the winter blues

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven. Cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until golden brown (around five to eight minutes). Add ground beef, onion, celery, green pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until meat is thoroughly cooked and vegetables are softened. Drain, if needed.
2. Stir in tomato sauce and paste; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Taste and add sugar, if needed.
3. Place buns cut side up on a baking sheet. Top each bun lid with grated cheese. Broil for two to four minutes to melt the cheese and toast bottom buns.
4. To serve, place bun bottoms onto serving plates, load meat mixture onto each bun and top with bun lid.

If you have Sloppy Joe filling leftover, it’s great used as a poutine topping or to serve over baked potatoes, pasta noodles, or in warmed taco shells.

If you’re looking for a great way to add more protein to a salad, try serving the leftover Sloppy Joe filling over hearty romaine lettuce.

Classic Swedish Meatballs

Classic Sweedish Meatballs (Canada Beef)

This recipe is bound to strike a nostalgic chord for anyone who’s enjoyed the sporadic trip to a certain furniture store. Easy to assemble and paired perfectly with a pile of mashed potatoes or atop some spaghetti, Swedish Meatballs are always bound to be a crowd-pleaser (even if the crowd is just you in your apartment).

Ingredients

• 2 large shallots, grated
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup (60 ml) panko breadcrumbs
• ½ tsp (2 ml) garlic powder
• ¼ tsp (1 ml) ground allspice and nutmeg
• salt and pepper
• 1 lb (500 g) lean Canadian ground beef
• 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil, divided
• ¼ cup (60 ml) butter
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (500 ml) beef broth
• ½ cup (125 ml) half-and-half cream
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Dijon mustard
• fresh parsley, chopped
• lingonberry jam or cranberry sauce

1. Combine shallots, egg, panko, garlic powder, allspice, nutmeg, ½ tsp (2 ml) salt, and ⅛ tsp (0.5 ml) pepper. Gently mix in ground beef with a fork (careful not to over-mix). Roll meat mixture into 12 large meatballs and place on a plate. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes or up to two hours to help meatballs retain their shape.
2. Heat one tbsp (15 ml) oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add half the meatballs and cook for about eight minutes, turning until browned on all sides. Transfer to an ovenproof dish. Repeat with remaining oil and meatballs. Reserve skillet.
3. Cover and bake in preheated 350ºF oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a digital instant-read thermometer inserted into several meatballs reads 160ºF.
4. Meanwhile, return the skillet to medium heat, add butter, and swirl to melt. Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring for one minute. Gradually whisk in beef broth and bring to a boil. Cook, whisking, for one to two minutes or until slightly thickened. Whisk in cream, Worcestershire, and Dijon; season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Return the meatballs and any juices to the sauce. Simmer for five minutes, until flavours are blended.
6. Serve garnished with parsley and jam on the side.

Meatballs are also great served over rice, couscous, or quinoa.

Classic Stuffed Peppers

Classic Stuffed Peppers (Classic Stuffed Peppers)

What’s a way to make eating vegetables more fun, you may ask? Well, we suggest loading them up with good stuff — like beef, rice, cheese, and tomatoes.

The subtle sweetness from the peppers compliments the richness of the beef for an uber-satisfying meal. And on top of how good this dish tastes, we always love a bright and colourful meal to feed our eyes as well.