As I write, the weather outside is frightful. Remnants of a white blanket of snow still cling to the ground, and the wind is whipping up severe and blistering gusts. It has been a cold, cold winter. What better way to survive than to tuck in to some of your favorite comfort foods?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines comfort food as "food prepared in a traditional style having a usually nostalgic or sentimental appeal." These are the foods that your family dished up on weeknights or even special occasions, that you loved eating as a child, or that you turn to when you are stressed, or in my case, cold. Typically, the meals are simple, down-to-earth and easy to prepare. While chefs worldwide recently have taken to recreating these dishes using higher-end and more expensive ingredients, comfort food meals traditionally have consisted of inexpensive ingredients – perfect for these days of dreaded recession.

Comfort food can mean completely different things to different people. In an extremely unscientific survey of my friends on Facebook, I received a wide variation of "comfort food" definitions: brown rice pasta with tomato sauce; Lays cheddar and sour cream potato chips; chocolate chips and a bottle of wine; frozen banana with cereal and soy milk; spaetzle; green bean casserole; grilled cheese sandwich; chips, salsa, queso and guacamole; mashed potatoes; and even just beer. One friend summed up her interpretation: "Comfort food requires meat. Or at the very least, cheese." Another friend, who moved from Washington, D.C., to the West Coast several years ago, said, "Blueberry Krunch pie from Round Hill's Hill High Store! Ugh, I've had dreams of that pie. Please go have a slice for me, and then write me a note and describe every last detail." (I'm shipping one to her…)

Overall, the consensus came down to cheese, soup, pie, or "anything your mom would make." That last one doesn't really narrow it down, but it might describe some of the more interesting choices people shared in my random sampling! As I've learned, comfort food means something different to each and every one of us. And that's the beauty of it.

Great Grandma Mary's Spaghetti Pie
Created by Alyson Browett

One of the best memories I have of my great grandmother Mary is of her shredding cheddar cheese. Whether it was pimento cheese (one of my favorite comfort foods) or her spaghetti pie, she was always messing with cheese. I've taken the "recipe" my mother had scribbled on a scrap of paper and created an updated version of the original. Feel free to use good ol' orange cheddar, regular spaghetti and white bread; I just was trying to counteract some of the fat with the addition of whole grains!

4 cups shredded cheese (I used Fontina, Gruyere and Irish Cheddar)
1 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
5 slices whole grain bread
2 cups milk
1 ½ cups heavy cream
2 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter

Preheat the oven to 375°. Cook the pasta in boiling water according to package instructions. When cooked, drain the pasta and run briefly under cold water. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish using one tablespoon of the butter. Spread some of the cheese on the bottom of the pan, and then top with some pasta. Continue to layer the cheese and pasta, ending with cheese on top. Whisk the eggs, then add the milk, cream, and salt, whisking together. Pour the liquid over the spaghetti and cheese. Butter one side of the bread and place buttered side up on top of the dish. Press the bread into the dish, allowing some of the liquid to soak into the bread. Place in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until the bread is toasted and the liquid is set. Serves 6-8 as a main course or 10-12 as a side dish. (Note: This is excellent cold or slightly warmed for breakfast!)

Puff Pastry Chicken Pot Pie
Created by Alyson Browett

Yum. The puff pastry's crispy, flaky crust makes the pot pie more elegant, but it still has the feel of ooey, gooey chicken and dumplings when pushed down into the filling. You can make this with a regular pie crust, but you'll be missing out on something special!

3 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 leek, white part only, washed well and sliced into half moons
1 cup chopped carrot
2 celery stalks, washed and chopped
1 lb. chicken thighs, skinned and boneless, cut into bite-size pieces
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups water
1 tablespoon chicken stock base
Salt and pepper
Pinch ground sage, thyme, rosemary (herbs of your choice)
1-2 sheets puff pastry, thawed according to package instructions
4 7 oz. ramekins

Preheat oven to 400°. In a heavy-bottomed pot, cook the bacon pieces over moderate heat, rendering out the fat. Cook and stir occasionally for about 4 minutes. Add the leek, carrot and celery. Stir and cook for several minutes. Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and coat with the flour, either in a bowl or in a zip-top plastic bag. Add the flour-coated chicken to the pan and stir. The flour and bacon grease should combine to form a paste, or roux. Continue cooking and stirring until the chicken is no longer pink and the roux is a light almond color. Do not let the chicken brown. Add the water and the chicken stock base and stir well. Add salt, pepper and any herbs you're using. Allow the stew to simmer for 10 minutes. Spoon the filling into the ramekins, leaving at least ¾ inch from the top. Working quickly on a flat surface, cut ½ inch strips of the puff pastry to go around the rims of the ramekins. Fold them over the rims. Then, cut lids for the ramekins that are slightly larger than the opening. Top the ramekin with the lid and seal the edges using a fork (like you would for a pie crust). Cut at least two to three slits in the top of the crust to release steam. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet (to catch any boiling over flow) and into the oven. Bake the pies for about 20 minutes, or until the pastry has risen and is golden brown. Do not open the oven during cooking! Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Chili Verde
Created by Alyson Browett

This is for all of you soup and chili lovers, and it is perfect served with a grilled cheese sandwich or cheese quesadilla. Combine this chili with your choice of Mexican beer, and you've got a meal made in heaven. Although this recipe is a little more work, it's worth the effort.

1 large (or 2 small) shallot, quartered
1 lb. tomatillos, husked, rinsed and halved
3 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded and halved
1 sweet onion, cut into eighths
4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 green pepper or poblano pepper
2 lbs. bone-in pork loin chops, cut into 1-inch cubes, bones and fat removed and reserved
2 tablespoons masa (corn flour)
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1.5 cups chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and stems
Salt and pepper
½ cup chopped green onions
½ cup sour cream

Heat oven to 425°. Combine 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, some salt and pepper with the shallot, tomatillos, jalapenos, onion and garlic in a roasting pan. Roast the vegetables for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. On the eye of a gas stove (or under a broiler) roast the green pepper directly over the flame until all of the skin is blackened. Wrap it in a piece of aluminum foil and allow it to steam for 10 minutes. When the pepper is slightly cooled, carefully peel off the skin, and discard the skin, stem and seeds.

In a Dutch oven, render the fat from the reserved pork bones and fat over medium heat. In a separate heavy-bottomed pan, brown the pork cubes in 1 tablespoon of the oil. Remove, drain on paper towels and set aside. Remove the bones and fat pieces from the Dutch oven. Add the masa and stir for 2 minutes. Add one cup of the stock and scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. In a blender, combine 1 cup of cilantro, the roasted garlic, half of the roasted jalapenos, onion, tomatillos and shallot, and ½ cup of chicken stock until smooth. Add to the Dutch oven. Then blend the green pepper with ½ cup of water. Add this to the Dutch oven. Chop the remaining jalapeno, tomatillos and onion, if necessary. Add the vegetables and the cooked cubed pork to the Dutch oven and simmer over low heat with the lid on for at least 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve topped with sour cream, cilantro and green onions. Serves 4.