Staff Recs: Our Favorite Comfort Foods for Finals Season

As finals season rapidly approaches and our health, both mental and physical, plummets, we often find ourselves turning to our favorite comfort foods. Whether it’s a recipe for sprucing up instant noodles or a homemade Alfredo, below are a few of our favorite comfort foods, and how you can make them yourself!

Managing Editor, Bonnie Lord

Favorite Comfort Food: Ramen Noodles

Ramen noodles are cheap, warm, easy to make and full of carbs and sodium – perfect for a late night study session. I prefer roast chicken flavor when it comes to a classic gas station cup of noodles, but if I’m at a restaurant, my go-to is a nice pork broth. 

An honorable mention to Phở, which sacrifices cost for quality. Good phở isn’t something you can get at Johnny’s, but the fresh greens, light rice noodles and hearty broth put it above ramen any day. 

My go-to easy ramen recipe is as follows:

Ingredients

• A cup of noodles (Johnny’s is my go-to.)
• An egg, soft boiled (You can get hard-boiled eggs at several dining locations on campus!)
• Lunch meat ham (This is optional, but adds some important protein to an otherwise heavy meal!)
• Green onion (I often have a baggie of this around, it keeps well!)

The Recipe

1. Make the cup of noodles according to the instructions, but sneak in your egg and ham slice before pressing the lid back down to let the noodles cook. 
2. Finally, sprinkle your green onions on top, and enjoy with a nice cold water for the perfect food recharge.

Assistant Managing Editor, Killian Altayeb

Favorite Comfort Food: Spinach and Cheese Pasta

I am a cheese fiend, so my comfort food is spinach and cheese pasta!

In addition to being easy to make, this is the dish my father used to make after every hard day, long exam, failed opportunity. It doesn’t even take that many ingredients, but I’ll never take for granted the experience of buying the ingredients from our local Arabic market, shredding the cilantro in silence alongside my father.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz angel hair pasta
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (packed)
• 1/2–3/4 cup crumbled Arabic cheese (like Nabulsi or Akkawi, soaked and rinsed if salty)

The Recipe:

1. Boil the pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add angel hair pasta and cook until just al dente (about 2–3 minutes). Drain and set aside, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
2. Sauté aromatics: In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant and translucent (about 1–2 minutes)

1. Combine pasta and sauce: Add the cooked pasta to the pan. Toss with the garlic oil. If the pasta is weirdly dry, add a bit of reserved pasta water to loosen it.
2. Finish with cheese and herbs: Remove from heat. Immediately toss in chopped cilantro and crumbled Arabic cheese, so the cheese just begins to soften but doesn’t fully melt. Season with salt and black pepper to taste!
3. Eat with family, never alone.

Assistant News Editor, Heidi Faramelli

Favorite Comfort Food: Andrea’s Macaroni and Cheese

My all-time favorite comfort food has to be macaroni and cheese. Kraft and Velveeta boxed mac and cheeses both honestly slap. I’ve adored Velveeta shells since I was young, and I don’t care if it’s not real cheese. But ultimately, homemade mac and cheese is the best way to eat this delicious, ooey-gooey cheesy goodness, and my best friend Sydney’s mom, Andrea, gave me the best recipe.

You can dress it up or dress it down. It’s perfectly good plain, or you can add a variety of seasonings, proteins and vegetables to turn it into something even more filling and nutritious – if you’re into that, I guess. Personally, I like my carbs and cheese all on their own.

For me, mac and cheese is comforting because I can remember growing up eating Kraft mac and cheese on my little pink TV tray as I watched “Dora the Explorer,” not a care in the world outside of what Dora and Boots would get up to that day. 

Kraft is the first meal I remember helping my mom cook, and I used to request it as my meal of choice during my birthday dinners. Since then, we’ve evolved to Andrea’s homemade mac, but I can’t lie – my mom made Kraft for dinner a few nights ago, and it hit just like it always does.

Ingredients:

• 10 oz dried elbow macaroni (2.5 cups)
• One 8 oz package shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups)
• One 8 oz package Velveeta, cut up (1 cup)
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• One 12-oz can evaporated milk
• One 10.5 oz can condensed cheddar soup
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper

The Recipe: 

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, let cheeses and the butter stand at room temperature. Drain macaroni and transfer to a large bowl. Add shredded cheese and Velveeta to the hot pasta. Stir until the cheese starts to melt.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, softened butter, milk, cheddar soup, salt and pepper. Stir this mixture into the macaroni mixture.
3. Add to a crockpot and cook on medium high heat for two to three hours.
4. Enjoy! Additional note from Andrea: Double or triple this recipe for large groups.

Part-Time Staff Writer, Sophia Valchine

Favorite Comfort Food: French Fries

My favorite comfort food is French fries. With celiac disease, it’s hard to find good actual meals that I like, and French fries can be found in a ton of restaurants where they are usually gluten free. Some of the best fries I’ve had come from places other than home, but since I got my air fryer I’ve been enjoying them more.

The Recipe: 

1. Go to Red Robin
2. Order bottomless steak fries
3. Enjoy!

Photographer, Gabriela Popa

Favorite Comfort Food: Shrimp Alfredo, ‘100% Better Homemade’

I mean, it’s a very simple recipe, you just have to like spinach, mushrooms and shrimp. My dad has been making this for as long as I can remember and taught me the recipe, so now whenever we’re in the mood or haven’t had it in a while we make it together. It reminds me of my childhood, and it’s been one thing I’ve been missing a lot while at school.

Ingredients:

• One clove of garlic — minced
• Spinach (like half a bag) – washed/ remove stems 
• Bell peppers (about 2) – diced 
• White mushrooms (3/4 of a container) – halved 
• Thawed shrimp (measure with your heart’s desire) – halved or whole
• Alfredo sauce from a jar 
• Noodle of choice – I recommend either fettuccine or linguine 

The Recipe:

1. In a big saucepan, add a drizzle of olive oil and some minced garlic, start boiling your water in a pot.
2. Cook down the spinach. You want it to go from a massive pile to just a bit in a pan
3. Add in the mushrooms and let those cook down until they’re browned and rubbery, this is about when you want to add in the pasta.
4. Toss in the bell peppers until they’re softened.
5. Then add in the shrimp, until they start to get pink. Once they’re starting to get pink, add in the sauce and mix all together (You should be constantly mixing this sauce).
6. Once the sauce is done, cover it and let it stay warm.
7. Cook the noodles for about 10 minutes, or until al dente. Your water should be boiling by the time you have to add in the mushrooms or bell peppers. Cook the noodles for about 10 minutes, or until al dente.
8. Drain the pasta and immediately put into bowls. Top the pasta with the sauce and you’re done! Add some cheese on top if that’s your thing (I recommend) and enjoy!