The Great American Recipe takes on comfort food in episode 3

For the third week of the Great American Recipe, our home cooks will be giving us two new dishes. We are talking comfort food and dishes inspired by loved ones.

This is once again a celebration of who these cooks are. And we love the dishes they are sharing with us. So what did these cooks consider comfort food? And which dishes are inspired by someone they love?

For the first challenge of the week, the cooks have to make a comfort recipe from the heart.

The Great American Recipe dives into the realm of comfort food cooking for week three

For this challenge on The Great American Recipe our cooks are making:

• Leanna – Lasagna Soup with Garlic Knots
• Relle – Portuguese Bean Soup with Cornbread and Liliko’i Butter
• Khela – Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes
• Maria – Shrimp and Grits
• Brad – Brik Pastry
• Abbe – Blintz Casserole with Fruit and Nut Topping
• Ted – Fried Chicken Tenders with Coleslaw
• Salmah – Kitchri with Stewed Chicken

All of these dishes sound amazing, and as comfort foods, they also make us think of how these cooks think of home. We all look at what comfort food is differently, because different things, comfort different people. But this is a great look at who these cooks are.

After some interesting comments from the judges and even some tears, these are the two cooks, who came out on top this round: Ted and Leanna.

For round two, the cooks have to make a beloved dish, basically a dish for a loved one.

• Leanna – Crab Cakes with Roasted Corn Salsa
• Maria – Elk Stew
• Salmah – Chicken Curry and Roti
• Ted – Cavatappi Pollo
• Abbe – Red Beans and Rice with Cornbread
• Brad – Dry-Aged Rib Steak with Wedged Potatoes and String Beans
• Khela – Chicken Spiedini with Amogio Sauce over Linguine
• Relle – Shrimp Tempura Sushi and Misoyaki Salmon

Honestly, after watching the cooks, make both rounds of dishes, we cannot wait for the cookbook from this season. Every single one of these dishes is one that we would love to try for ourself, as a way to learn more about different cultures and food traditions.

I also have to say, it was once again, an emotional judging. And, it was beautiful to see the cooks share these dishes with all of us.

So which dishes did the judges pick in terms of the least successful dishes? Sadly that would be Abbe and Relle. And which dishes were the best? Leanna and Salmah had the best dishes, with the winner being Leanna.