Hey, I’m Tony, the guy behind Cookin’ Comfort. This started as a way to keep track of the recipes I actually cook on repeat, and turned into a full-blown project to build the recipe site I wish existed: no life story before the ingredient list, no scrolling forever to find out how long to bake something. Just the recipe, told straight.
The name comes from the job, actually. My work keeps me on remote sites a month or more at a stretch, so most of my cooking happens out there, for myself and the guys on the crew, with whatever’s actually available. Being that far from home for that long makes you crave real comfort food, and that’s what I try to put on the table. When I do make it home, I cook even more, because I finally have the time and the kitchen to make the things I can’t pull off at work.
I’m not a chef and I’m not trying to be fancy. I like food that’s hearty, forgiving, and doesn’t require a trip to three different specialty stores. If a recipe calls for something you don’t have on hand, I’ll usually tell you what to swap in instead of pretending there’s only one right way to do it.
Around here you’ll find skillet meals, crockpot dinners, low-and-slow BBQ, soups and stews, casseroles, and the spice blends, sauces, and marinades that tie it all together. Plus desserts, because a meal isn’t finished until something sweet shows up.
A few things about me
Some of my favorite memories growing up are of my dad making breakfast on the weekends, and I’d like my own family to remember me the same way. So if I’m home on a weekend, there’s a good chance you’ll find me at the griddle making French toast. My son has his own standing request whenever I get back: a big batch of my copycat Wendy’s chili. It’s hearty enough to eat by the bowl, and a pot that size is perfect for making chili dogs for a crowd on game day.
Outside the house, the recipe people ask me for most is my Honey Chipotle BBQ Sauce, and it’s pretty much a given that someone will want me to bring my baked mac and cheese to the next get-together. My toughest critics, though, are the guys on the crew. They’ll tell me exactly what they think of a dish, good or bad, and that kind of honesty makes every recipe better before it ever lands here.
Start here
New around here? These are the ones I’d point you to first:
- The Best Homemade Lasagna: the one I’m proudest of. Worth every minute.
- Honey Chipotle BBQ Sauce: sweet, smoky, with a slow kick.
- Restaurant-Quality Crockpot Beef Barbacoa: the slow cooker does almost all the work.
- Texas-Crutch Style Smoked Brisket: for when you’ve got a free day and a smoker.
Every once in a while I’ll mention a specific product I actually use, like a seasoning or a skillet. Some of those are affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. I only link to stuff I’d recommend anyway, and you can read more on the affiliate disclosure page.
Thanks for stopping by. Poke around, find something that looks good, and let me know how it turns out.