Yes, winter is still here, but there is no need to get down in the dumps. Spring is coming soon, and so are longer days and warmer temperatures. Colder weather, however, calls for hearty recipes that make you feel good when it’s cold outside.
I’ve compiled a list of 5 winter recipes that you can make that are easy breezy—and pretty darn good too!
Check them out!:
Classic Onion Soup with Gruyere
Who doesn’t appreciate a warm bowl of soup during the cold winter months? And what could make soup better than classic onion soup with a classic cheese that is so yummy, you will want seconds. I found this amazingly easy recipe on by Robin Miller (Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller), and couldn’t wait to try it!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 large yellow or Spanish onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup port wine
- 6 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
- 1 (2-inch) piece Parmesan rind
- Reserved bread from bread bowls or 4 slices sourdough baguette, about 1-inch thick and lightly toasted
- 8 slices Gruyere cheese
Check out the full recipe HERE.
Stracotto (Pot Roast) with Porcini Mushrooms
Got beef? Nothing is better during the winter than a pot roast cooked long and slow (sorry to my non-beef eaters, I love meat!), and the smell of it wafting through your home. This recipe by Giada from Giada at Home puts a Italian twist on the honored pot roast. And it’s pretty easy too!
Ingredients
- 1 (5-pound) boneless beef chuck roast
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
- 2 onions, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 cup red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir
- 1 (15-ounce) can low-sodium beef broth, plus extra, as needed
- 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 large sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped
For the steps, click HERE.
Potted Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Onions and Apple
Pork is the “other white meat”. Since I’ve gotten older, I’ve actually come to appreciate it. I never used to eat pork at all, but lately, I have been doing a lot of slow cooked pork as well as baked pork chops and steaks (I’m still not a bacon fan, though). Here’s a pretty fabulous slow cooked pork tenderloin from Rachael Ray and her 30 Minute Meals.
Ingredients
- 2 pork tenderloins, well-trimmed and cut into large chunks (about 2 1/2 pounds)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground fennel or fennel pollen
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Flour, for dredging
- 2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 medium onions, cut into thin wedges, root end attached
- 2 medium Macintosh apples, peeled and chopped
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- A few sprigs fresh sage, very thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup calvados
- 1 cup chicken stock or cloudy apple cider
Click HERE for directions.
King’s Greens
You haven’t lived until you’ve had greens, Turnip, collard, or mustard, they are absolutely amazing. My grandmother is the queen of green making and I love eating her well seasoned and prepared greens when I visit her for dinner. Greens are necessary on every southerner’s plate, especially in the winter. I found this fabulous recipe from Sunny Anderson for King’s Greens that is befitting royalty. I used to be scared of attempting to make greens myself, but this recipe made me want to take a hit at bat. Love it!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 ham hock
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 bunches collard greens, stems discarded, leaves washed twice, cut into ribbons
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Get the full recipe HERE.
Steakhouse Shepherd’s Pie
Rachael Ray’s Steakhouse Shepherd’s Pie has winter written all over it. Warm, hearty, yummy, and flavorful, this dish will knock everyone’s socks off. And it’s so easy, even I can do it (which says a lot). This is the perfect dish for the family or to entertain. They will think you spent hours on the meal.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- Salt
- 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 slices good quality bacon or peppered bacon, chopped
- 2 pounds ground sirloin
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2 pound button mushrooms, quartered
- Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups beef stock
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/2 pound blue cheese, crumbled (recommended: Maytag)
- 3 to 4 tablespoons chives
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Get the full recipe HERE.
With these 5 wintertime meal favorites, you can’t go wrong! Check then out and let me know what you think!
Photo credit: Food Network
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