A simple but delicious version of Japanese ramen, this soup starts with pork cooked to perfect tenderness in the crock pot, with garlic, ginger, leeks, mushrooms, and onions rounding out the flavors. The noodles are cooked separately just before serving, then the shredded pork and fragrant broth, with a little soy and sesame oil added, are ladled over top. A soft boiled egg makes a great garnish, as do shredded scallions or chopped baby spinach.

Microsoft word for mac torrent. Add some chile oil or Sriracha if you want to spice things up. Homemade pie crust really elevates your desserts (and savory tarts and quiches too), and isn't as hard as you might think, especially if you use a food processor to make the dough.

Even if you don't roll it out exactly evenly or press it in to your pie plate perfectly, the buttery taste and flaky texture will more than make up for any cosmetic imperfections. Give this easy pie crust recipe a try next time you bake—and if you want to use it for a savory dish, just leave out the sugar in the recipe. This comes together in about the time it takes to order takeout, and is miles more nuanced than your average Chinese restaurant's sweet and sour sauce.

Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked elbow macaroni and gently stir to coat the noodles in the sauce. Pour the macaroni and cheese into the prepared baking dish.

Ketchup, soy sauce, sugar, and rice or cider vinegar are boiled together with water (though pineapple juice makes for a tasty tropical twist), and thickened to the perfect dipping consistency with a little cornstarch slurry. Serve this with egg rolls, wontons, rangoons, and whatever other fried foods you want to perk up. Feel free to add some heat to the sauce with minced ginger, garlic, or chiles (or all three). Most granola is a fancy twist on toasted oats—consider that when contemplating the exorbitant prices retailers charge for it.

The thing is, granola is incredibly easy to make at home, and for a fraction of the cost. This recipe is a granola base to which you can add whatever dried fruit, nuts, or other tasty bits make you happy. Feel free to tweak this with other spices, a little less honey, more salt—it’s quite forgiving, and customizing your own blend is the fun of making your own. If you want to experiment even further, try using other rolled grains such as spelt or barley and wheat instead of oats.

Split pea soup is a comfort food classic, and this version couldn't be easier. Just place dried split peas in your slow cooker, top them with diced mirepoix (carrot, celery, and onion), plus some garlic, parsley, and bay leaf. Add a ham bone or ham hocks for a little smoky meatiness, and cover it all with chicken or vegetable stock, then turn on the crockpot and walk away. The result is creamy, hearty, and freezes well, so you can make a big batch to keep extra on hand for the next time you need a soothing soup, stat.

As fall approaches, I can’t help but settle into some of my favorite comfort foods. One-pot, creamy, and cheesy bowls of classic mac n cheese are just a few of my go-to indulgences. As a child, Mom often made spaghetti with bolognese sauce; she wasn’t a fan of mac n cheese. On the occasional night where it was just my older sister and I, we’d excitedly whip out a box of store-bought Macaroni and Cheese from the pantry and call it dinner.

This day and age, I prefer my mac n cheese made from scratch, rather than a box. This doesn’t mean the meal is any harder to make than it used to be, but it definitely does mean I can customize it each time to my own preference. For example, I’ve made this mac n cheese with gruyere cheese and truffle oil before when I’ve felt a little fancy. Most of the time, I make this mac n cheese the old-fashioned way, with some quality cheddar cheese.