How to Make a Semi-Homemade Comfort Meal

When the weather is chilly outside and you're inviting guests in from the cold, serve them warm, comforting food that will make them forget that they've had to travel through the winter at all! Read on to learn how.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Serve guests hot apple cider upon arrival at your place. Guests will feel welcome and homey with this warm, sweet drink, and it will create that "I just came in from playing in the snow" ambiance. Spice up cider with cinnamon sticks in each guest's mug!

2. For hours devours, serve an assortment of familiar, easy foods--cheeses, crackers, pumpkin bread, veggies. Instantly, guests will be more comfortable if the food is familiar.

3. Instead of serving a fussy dinner with lots of parts to it, serve something that only takes one large dish! Stew or pastas are always welcome, but surprising, choices for larger groups. You can easily buy stew from a local restaurant and reheat it right before guests arrive, and nobody will be the wiser!

4. In the evening, offer guests a choice of coffee or hot chocolate with a shot of Kahlua. Serve these with warmed cookies, which can either be straight from the store into your warm oven, made from a store bought cut and bake set, or, if you're really ambitious (from all the time you've saved by not cooking dinner), from scratch!