The American Heritage Dictionary has a short and cozy definition of comfort food: “Food that is simply prepared and associated with a sense of home and contentment.”
One online source listed “the top ten comfort foods” in the following order from Number 10 up to Number 1.  These were (with many recipe variations):
10.  Chicken pot pie
9.  Mac and Cheese
8.  Fried Chicken
7.  Meatloaf with Gravy
6.  Hamburgers
5.  Apple Pie
4.  Ice Cream
3.  Lasagna
2.  Mashed Potatoes
1.  Pizza

Obviously “Aunt Christine” may have a different Fried Chicken recipe than you or I.  And how much and what type of cheese mixed with the macaroni would make it your own preferred favorite.  In this list, it’s interesting to note that there are at least two pastas (the lasagna and the mac and cheese) and there are two chicken recipes (pot pie and fried.)  With all of its ways to prepare, no wonder pizza is way up at the top of this particular list! Note that there are three “Italian” items on the list with “German” hamburgers and meatloaf.  And what can be more “American” as apple pie?  Top that with a la mode ( French words meaning “with ice cream” here in the United States) and oh boy! We really have quite a global list here.

Deborah Joy Phelps

Bonnie Foods and Flavors, Nourishing Factors American, American Heritage Dictionary, comfort food, Deborah Joy Phelps, French, German, Italian, top ten