Ditch the delivery drama and slice up a pizza of your very own. We’re not talking about taking a box from the freezer. With the help of store-bought dough (available at most grocery stores or pizzerias), these pizza recipes are as quick as ordering in. Simply stretch out the dough, don with your favorite toppings and pop it in the oven.

Sometimes a good pizza comes down to the trilogy: mozzarella, tomato and basil. Giada De Laurentiis creates the classic slice with her Pizza With Fresh Tomatoes and Basil recipe.

Rachael Ray makes a Wingless Buffalo Chicken Pizza (pictured above) that packs all of the heat of the finger-licking favorite. Her Mega Meatball Pizza, on the other hand, has more of that Italian flair.

Sandra Lee’s BBQ Chicken Pizza puts store-bought chicken tenders, shredded Gouda and barbecue sauce to use. On a smaller note, Pizza Pockets come loaded with turkey sausage and arugula and trade the usual large triangle for a dish perfect for parties.

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While I’m not technically a rookie anymore, I often still feel like one. Don’t get me wrong — my culinary skill set improved significantly in 2012. The many hours spent whisking away in the kitchen more often than not resulted in satisfied taste-testers (luckily, my friends happily oblige to free food). But with so many techniques still to master and trendy ingredients out there to try, it’s hard not to feel a step behind.

To shake these self doubts, I go back to the basics. A challenge is good, but cooking should remain, for the most part, fun. And sometimes there’s nothing quite as enjoyable as simple comfort food.

Ina’s Easy Tomato Soup from Food Network Magazine is just as the Barefoot Contessa promises: fool-proof. It’s a recipe that I am confident in getting right each time. Prep work is minimal and cleanup is a cinch, so the whole process is relaxing. As I let everything simmer together, I could almost hear her cheery voice encouraging, “How easy is that?”

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We all get a bit territorial over our chocolate chip cookies. Some like them so crispy a discernible crunch ensues. Others like them so soft that it’s unclear whether they ever reached the oven. In the end, however, there’s no argument over this cookie’s ability to bring us back — especially when a glass of milk is involved. Preheat those ovens. It’s time for some cookies.

The recipe for classic Chocolate Chip Cookies, in reality, needs no fiddling. It’s soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Just out of the oven, the chocolate chips are so gooey they stick to your fingers.

Still, Food Network Magazine has its own take on the many faces of the chocolate chip cookie, perfect for those a bit particular about consistency. Check out its recipes for Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookies and even Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookies.

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Warm up with three regional chilis and see why each has a cult following. The experts share their recipes with Food Network Magazine.

In Texas, chili is practically a religion, with one important tenet: Keep it simple. That means no beans and, often, no tomatoes — just beef and spices. “Texas red,” as the locals call it, gets its distinctive dark red color from a big shot of chili powder (a mix of spices that usually includes paprika, cumin and cayenne). Texans cook it low and slow, just like their barbecue, until the chili gets thick and the meat is super tender. Texas Chili Parlor in Austin serves one of the most well-known versions: The Austin American-Statesman called it “legendary,” and owner Scott Zublin says his customers put away up to 250 gallons every week. You can order it mild, hot or extra-hot; the recipe Zublin gave us makes a moderately spicy chili. To turn the heat up or down, just adjust the amount of chili powder. 1409 Lavaca St.; txchiliparlor.com

Try the recipe: Texas Bowl of Red (pictured above)

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Whenever we dip fries in ketchup, spoon gravy over mashed potatoes or savor an egg with a side of home fries, the good ole potato is doing what it does best. As the foundation of our most loved sides, it comforts us to our very core. That’s why in this second week of frosty January, we’re moving down the line of our favorites potato recipes, from mashed to pancaked.

Is it a holiday? Steak night? You can bet a mound of Velvety Mashed Potatoes will be in attendance. For those who yearn for more structure, Baked Mashed Potatoes with Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs go in the oven until golden brown.

A burger has never seen a day without fries. Guy Fieri’s golden Double-Fried French Fries (pictured above) are everything you’d ever want in a fry, while Tyler Florence’s Oven Fries are baked in lieu of visiting the fryer.

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It’s January and that means it’s time for clean slates, new goals and a general reshuffling of priorities. I’ve long since learned that I don’t do well with large-scale resolutions, so I try to keep my hopes for the new year manageable instead of massive.

So this month, instead of trying to drastically revamp my diet or throw my gym routine into overdrive, I’m focusing on cooking at home more. It seems simple, but I’ve found that there’s no easier way to eat better than to make it myself.

For me, this means large batches of soups, whole roast chickens, kale salads (they keep so much better than lettuce-based ones), egg bakes with lots of vegetables and house-warming stews. Best of all, these are all dishes that yield enough for three or four meals.

In my mind, there’s no tool more supportive to my eat-home-cooking goal than a couple of tasty leftovers in the fridge. I know lots of folks shy away from day (or two) old food, but truly, there are so many things that get better after a little time to mingle and marry.

On New Year’s Day, I made a batch of Paula Deen’s Irish Lamb Stew. Hunks of lamb are browned and then left to braise with a mountain of onions, leeks, celery, cabbage and tomatoes. While it was good that first day, it made a phenomenal dinner on day 2. On day 3, my husband took the remains to work for lunch. Hooray for home cooking!

Before you start browning your meat, read these tips

Now that the presents have been opened and the ball has dropped, there’s only one thing left: polishing off those remaining leftovers. All of the ingredients clogging your fridge — the stalks of celery, mounds of carrots and leftover meat — need an exit plan, and we’ve got one. Put it all to use with the epitome of comfort food, a pot pie steaming hot from the oven.

Ina Garten fixes the quintessential Chicken Pot Pie, complete with a homemade pastry recipe. For those with little time to spare, Sunny Anderson’s Easy Chicken Pot Pie reaches the table in just about 40 minutes.

Ellie Krieger’s Chicken and Biscuit Pot Pie is crowned with a homemade biscuit crust, and Giada’s Mini Chicken and Broccoli Pot Pies are perfect for party passing.

These pot pie renditions all come down to shape. The Neelys’ Individual Chicken Pot Pies (pictured above) are sized down for a personalized touch, and Melissa d’Arabian’s Chicken Pot Pie Turnovers add a handheld dimension. Or put the pie crust to the side with Food Network Magazine’s deconstructed Chicken Potpie Soup.

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It seems like almost every few months there’s a day creeping up on the horizon that is predicted to be the end of time. Just a few weeks ago, there were doubts that we’d make it past 12-12-12. Luckily, we did. The next doomsday forecast lists tomorrow, December 21, 2012, as the end of the world, as that’s when one cycle of the Mayan Long Count calendar is said to conclude. Whether or not you believe the theories behind that prediction, one thing is certain: We could potentially have just hours left to eat.

If today is the day before the world ends, then the time is now to get your fill of favorite foods, to throw caution and diets to the wind and indulge in the most over-the-top, sinfully decadent meals you can. Let yourself enjoy those meals you’ve deemed once-in-a-while treats. Relish in second — or third — helpings of your most beloved recipe. Why not? Check out some of Food Network’s most decadent, comforting meal ideas below, then tell us in the comments: What must-have meal is on your end-of-the-world menu?

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You’d never know this week’s Most Popular Pin of the Week was actually a lightened-up version of a comfort food classic. Food Network Kitchens used Muenster, sharp cheddar and Parmesan and mixed in pureed cauliflower for extra creaminess in Food Network Magazine‘s Three-Cheese Macaroni.

For more lightened-up recipe inspiration, visit Food Network’s Let’s Get Healthy board on Pinterest.

Get the recipe: Three-Cheese Macaroni

Earlier this week, we asked readers to vote for their favorite fall comfort food and while votes are still being tallied, it’s clear that macaroni and cheese is the winner. The same goes for this week’s Most Popular Pin of the Week, Alton’s Better-Than-Boxed Macaroni. Make Alton’s rich and creamy mac and cheese right on the stove for a quick, no-fuss weeknight meal.

For more recipes to inspire you daily, visit Food Network’s Let’s Cook: Recipe of the Day board on Pinterest.

Get the recipe: Stove-Top Mac and Cheese