As a 22-year-old recent graduate of App State, I started a life living completely on my own during the pandemic. I’ve been trying to use this time to explore my cooking skills and so where is the best to go for that? Pinterest obviously. So I’ve put together a list of all my favorite easy and delicious recipes of some of my favorite comfort foods.

Pro tip: if you also live by yourself, these recipes will make you leftovers for a few days which is super nice!

1. Chicken Parmesean

Chicken Parmesan

A classic Italian dish prepared with tomato sauce and mozzarella, with a few additions by Chef John. Sure to impress your friends and family!

2. Chicken & Dumplings

Crock-Pot Chicken & Dumplings Is The Coziest Winter Dinner

Q: Is there anything more comforting than chicken & dumplings? A: Nope! How do you make chicken & dumplings in a slow cooker? This recipe is broken down into two parts: cooking chicken and cooking biscuits. First, you lay boneless skinless chicken breasts over a bed of onion in your slow cooker, then pour cream of chicken soup and chicken broth on top.

3. Better-Than-Takeout Fried Rice (V)

Easy Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice - Averie Cooks

If you've ever wanted to learn how to make fried rice, this recipe will help you in no time. I'm not sure why but I have very few rice dishes on my site. Time to change that with this easy, one-skillet recipe that's ready in 20 minutes and better than takeout.

4. Banana Pudding with Nilla Wafers

You'll Go Ape Sh*t Over This Perfect Banana Pudding

Banana pudding is one of our all-time favorite desserts. It's a classic Southern recipe, and for good reason; luscious layers of pudding, whipped cream, ripe bananas, and wafer cookies are completely impossible to resist. Can I make homemade pudding? Absolutely! If you've got the time, our classic vanilla pudding would be killer in this.

5. Copycat Chili’s Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun Chicken Pasta - Damn Delicious

Chili's copycat recipe made at home with an amazingly creamy melt-in-your-mouth alfredo sauce. And you know it tastes 10000x better! I honestly haven't been to Chili's in about 10 years, but this place really holds such good memories for me. I've come here with family on many occasions and I might have had my first real date here.

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