Comfort foods all have one special thing in common: they make us feel good.

The warmth of soul-satisfying foods evokes memories of childhood favorites -- of mom's kitchen and delicious family dinners. That spells comfort today, and Johanna Burkhard's recipes are simple and reliable yet incredibly comforting and delicious. Many of them can be made ahead of time and frozen for later use.

Some of these inviting recipes are:

• Cheese-smothered onion soup
  
• Harvest vegetable barley soup
  
• One-hour roast chicken with sage and garlic
  
• Zesty barbecued spareribs
  
• Best-ever meat loaf
  
• Amazing chili
  
• Mama's Italian cheeseburgers
  
• Spaghetti with creamy tomato clam sauce
  
• Wild mushroom risotto
  
• Chocolate marshmallow fudge
  
• Oven French toast
  
• Cheese cornbread
  
• Sour cream fudge layer cake with frosting
  
• Creamy rice pudding

With recipe shortcuts and serving suggestions throughout, these are 500 dishes that will inspire new comfort food traditions.