Valerie Bertinelli's Cozy Comfort Food Classics

If you're having trouble getting your kids to eat veggies, try this recipe. They'll love how the cauliflower gets all mixed in with the noodles and cheese," says Valerie. The riced cauliflower disappears into the cheesy sauce and the whole thing is topped with potato chips, adding a kid-friendly crunch.

Great for feeding a family, this Mexican dish — which makes 14 enchiladas — features a flavor-packed sauce with tomatoes, poblano peppers and a variety of herbs.

To make baked chicken taste as good as fried, Valerie brines the chicken pieces in a buttermilk mixture for an hour before tossing with seasoned panko breadcrumbs and then baking on a rack set over a baking sheet.

Valerie gives basic popcorn a sweet makeover by tossing it with marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers and then covering everything with a crunchy, candy coating.

Valerie’s intensifies the chocolate flavor in her decadent brownies with a touch of espresso powder and dark chocolate chips. She takes them over the top with a coffee-infused chocolate frosting. “This is the perfect brownie,” says Valerie.

Valerie melts American cheese over two seared burger patties and then piles them on sesame seed buns with lettuce, tomato, onion and her signature special sauce.

Valerie adds pizzazz to frozen sweet potato fries with grated Parmesan, parsley, lemon zest and a pinch of cayenne.

Use frozen peas in this creamy risotto recipe so you can enjoy it year round. Fresh mint brings out the sweet flavor of the peas even more.

Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, this chicken is marinated overnight and cooked in a mixture of its marinade, white wine and brown sugar.

Take a quick trip to the Windy City with Valerie’s sausage-laden pizza. Bring everything together in a springform pan to get the desired depth you’d find in Chicago pizzerias.

For a classic and comforting supper, try Valerie's take on her grandmother's gnocchi, served in homemade marinara sauce.

Based on the Louisiana classic, this gumbo recipe combines shredded chicken and two kinds of sausage with okra, bell peppers, celery, garlic and a bit of cayenne for some extra spice.

First rubbed with an herb mixture, the boneless pork shoulder is cooked low and slow in an orange and lime juice, creating a tender meat perfect for a sandwich.

Valerie makes use of her trusty sheet pan to make a simple weeknight paella that can feed the whole family.

This quick-fix pasta dish is easy to make and full of flavor from a mix of Italian seasoning, red chile flakes, garlic and fresh basil.

This cozy casserole is just the thing to have for family dinner. Blanching the kale and sauteing the chicken in advance speeds up the baking time.

Honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard and whole-grain mustard go into the glaze for this spiral-cut ham. Try it for your next holiday gathering.

For an easy meal that can be on the table in just 35 minutes, look to this Cuban-style comfort dish that is packed with flavorful herbs.

Chicken thighs marinate in a Dijon mustard mixture before they're seared, and once again coated with Dijon mustard and breadcrumbs before they finish in the oven with leeks, potatoes and onions.

This recipe uses chicken and white beans for a lighter take on the traditional tomato-based version.

Perfect for game day, boneless chuck roast is cooked low and slow for eight hours in a blend of Italian seasonings and served on a roll with a spread of a garlic-and-Dijon-based aioli.

What makes Valerie's prime rib unique is that she ages it in the fridge, and then roasts it to perfect doneness. But right before serving she crisps up the exterior in a 500-degree-F oven.

A classic Italian dish, Valerie's spaghetti is served in a tomato-and-white wine sauce and topped with pork and ground beef meatballs.

Cozy up with this simple turkey chili topped with a generous helping of shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Valerie's quick and easy potato salad is tossed in a lemon-and-Dijon mustard vinaigrette and can be served warm or at room temperature.

A traditional lasagna recipe gets a creamy twist with the addition of a bechamel sauce layered with a meaty ragu and mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.

This classic Greek chicken soup is thickened with eggs and flavored with lemon juice. A touch of dill adds a nice herbal note.

This simple pasta recipe is served in a white wine-tomato sauce and packs an extra punch of flavor from chopped slices of thick-cut bacon.

This fall-apart-tender roast is stuffed with garlic, slow-simmered in a white wine reduction and served on a platter of sauced carrots and potatoes.

You can't have creamy mac and cheese without some processed cheese. Valerie's recipe also uses Cheddar, and gets studded with pickled jalapenos for some added kick.

This personal-sized pizza for meat lovers is grilled twice and topped with tomato sauce, cheese, sausage, prosciutto and Canadian bacon.

Covered in a peppercorn, Dijon mustard and butter rub, this beef tenderloin is oven-roasted and served with a Savory Horseradish Panna Cotta.

This sauteed Brussels sprouts side is perfect to serve with dinner. Crispy pancetta and cider vinegar add extra flavor and zing.

Valerie uses a roasted mix of carrots, parsnips, beets and radishes for this easy soup recipe. She also adds navy beans and escarole to make it heartier.

The star of this burger recipe is the spicy chipotle sauce which combines sour cream, salt, pepper, onions, cilantro and of course, chipotle peppers. Just a dab on your burger will deliver a burst of heat.

This savory pie is a mixture of ground lamb, herbs and chopped vegetables, with a hefty helping of mashed potatoes baked on top to seal in the flavors.

For a perfectly cooked turkey in under an hour, skip the oven and drop it into a counter top fryer. All you need to do is season it with a little bit of salt and pepper and then carve it when it's time to serve.

The perfect savory addition to any brunch menu, the chuck roast in this hash recipe is slow-roasted for eight hours and then shredded over a bed of tender, golden brown potatoes.

Swap out a traditional red sauce for a rich butternut squash spread to create a next-level pizza experience. Loaded with cheese and topped with light, citrus-dressed arugula, this pizza is a meal in perfect balance.

Perfect for a weeknight dinner, this hearty dish is packed with six different spices, chopped andouille sausage, smoked ham and a hint of brown sugar for sweetness.

If you can't get enough of your favorite lager, this simple appetizer will allow you to drink it and eat it at the same time.

This beef tenderloin makes for quite an elegant dinner. The beef is rubbed with a spice mixture that includes ancho chili powder, cumin, coriander and paprika before it's roasted. Serve drizzled with garlic-herb oil.

Sweet Italian sausage is the special ingredient in Valerie's stuffing, and she bakes it with walnuts, cranberries and a medley of vegetables, herbs and spices.

Perfect party-sized bites, these sloppy joes are filled with a mix of ground beef, finely chopped veggies, and a Worcestershire-chili powder sauce simmered together for four hours.

A favorite recipe of Valerie's husband, Tom, these chicken cutlets are ideal for a quick weeknight meal.

This classic Italian soup is a one-pot wonder, as the pasta, beans and veggies cook together to create a thick and brothy consistency.

Perfect between two slices of bread or on it's own, this slow-cooker pulled pork is infused with a splash of beer and gets a savory crunch from fried shallots and chilies.

The meat in this traditional French stew is simmered in a red wine sauce for over an hour and flavored with bacon, garlic, mushrooms and onions.

This traditional Italian dish is full of classic flavors. Passed down from Valerie's mom, this lasagna recipe makes a great family-friendly dinner.

All it takes is 30 minutes to make this cozy chicken soup. Valerie's version calls for tamarind, cremini mushrooms and baby bok choy.

The secret to this dish is the heirloom garlic. It adds a more intense flavor to the chicken and cooks up sweeter.

Bold flavors are topped with pickled shallots and onions. The salsa gives these tacos a spicy kick.

This chicken recipe uses a Meyer lemon marinade, pairing perfectly with the tangy flavors of the arugula salad.

Skip the takeout and make your own chicken fried rice in as little as 20 minutes. This one-pot dish is perfect for a weeknight meal.

Homemade pasta, just like Nonna used to make, is achievable with this recipe. The carbonara sauce features crispy pancetta and two types of cheese.

The bold flavors and colors of Italy are represented in this classic Italian American dish. Valerie adds a touch of honey to balance out the saltiness of the salami, Parmesan cheese and Kalamata olives.

Valerie uses beer, orange juice and lime juice to brighten up the bold flavors of chile powder and paprika.

A sweet and tangy marinade of soy sauce, Dijon mustard, Chinese five-spice powder and orange marmalade are added to recreate this takeout classic. This dish is served with Valerie's brown buttery bowties.

These panko-coated green beans are baked to perfection in 30 minutes and are a healthier alternative to french fries, making this recipe perfect for a kid-friendly weeknight dinner.

Toasted rye, melted cheese and a juicy beef patty make this classic diner dish an all-time favorite!

Valerie skips the meat in favor of hearty black beans in these protein-packed bowls.