New comfort classics

Jim Franco

Ultimate Mac 'n' Cheese

Why "ultimate"? Because the sauce is creamy, not grainy; it's flavored with shallots, gruyère, and white wine, like fondue; and it's topped with crunchy sourdough bread crumbs.

Ultimate Mac 'n' Cheese recipe

MORE: What wine to sip with your mac and cheese »

Jim Franco

Lasagna with Sausage Ragù

Layers of ragù and creamy, nutmeg-scented béchamel are a subtle departure from the familiar cheese-laden lasagna favored by many Americans; our version is actually closer to authentic Italian lasagna. However, we streamlined the ragù by using sweet Italian sausage instead of the traditional beef, pork, and/or veal blend.

Lasagna with Sausage Ragù recipe

Jim Franco

Beef-Ale Stew and Green Onion-Buttermilk Dumplings

Rich with ale and caramelized onions, this stew provides a thick, hearty base for the fluffy white dumplings that are dropped in at the end of cooking.

Beef-Ale Stew and Green Onion--Buttermilk Dumplings recipe

Leigh Beisch

Smoky Beef-and-Bacon Chili

Bacon, fire-roasted tomatoes, and spicy smoked paprika give this easy-to-make chili a deep, complex flavor. While it's great right after you make it, it's even better the next day.

Recipe: Smoky Beef-and-Bacon Chili

Jim Franco

Porcini Mushroom Meat Loaf with Mushroom Gravy

If free-form meat loaf is new to you, here's why we prefer it to the baked-in-a-bread-pan kind: It produces delicious pan drippings that then become the base for a quick, mushroom-rich gravy. Click here for a great mashed-potato recipe to go alongside.

Porcini Mushroom Meat Loaf with Mushroom Gravy recipe

Leigh Beisch

Biscuit-Topped Chicken Potpies

For a grown-up take on this childhood favorite, we dropped the traditional pastry crust in favor of a no-fuss biscuit topping, then added cremini mushrooms and fresh thyme to the filling for a little earthiness.

Biscuit-Topped Chicken Potpies recipe

6 comfort classics

Ultimate Mac 'n' Cheese

Lasagna with Sausage Ragù

Beef-Ale Stew and Green Onion-Buttermilk Dumplings

Smoky Beef-and-Bacon Chili

Porcini Mushroom Meat Loaf with Mushroom Gravy

Biscuit-Topped Chicken Potpies