Stay Warm: 5 Hearty Meals for You to Try This Winter

Winter Warmers- Hearty Meals

Winter is the perfect time to spend a little time in the kitchen and try out some new and exciting, warming recipes like Hearty Meals. During the summer, it is simply too hot for steaming soups, fortifying stews, and delicious, rich roasts. But the winter brings with it the freezing cold and the desire to eat not only to keep warm but because it tastes so good!  The outside world is simply not inviting enough to drag us away from our warm beds and couches, out of our cozy homes and our inviting kitchens.

Cooking isn’t something that comes naturally to everyone; maybe spending time in the kitchen has been something that causes stress for you. Well, worry not; we have put together a list of five succulent winter recipes that will have you cooking like a celebrity chef in no time.

Chicken and Dumplings- Hearty Meals

The windows are all fogged up, and the snow is falling hard outside. You sniffle for the millionth time because that cold you caught about a week ago will just not go away. What could possibly help you feel like a human again? Chicken and dumplings, that’s what. It’s a comfort food classic that never fails to have the desired effect. Let’s take a look at how to make it.

Recipe:

FOR THE SOUP

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 c. heavy cream
• Freshly chopped parsley, for serving

FOR THE DUMPLINGS

• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 c. buttermilk
• 2 tbsp. butter, melted

Method:

• Make your soup first. Add oil to a large pan and set to medium heat. Cook the onion, carrots, and celery until tender, about five minutes. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper.
• Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
• Add your chicken broth, chicken, and thyme to cooked veggies and simmer for ten minutes or until chicken is cooked.
• Remove chicken and shred. Leave soup to simmer.
• Make your dumplings. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
• Make a well in flour mixture, add egg, buttermilk, and melted butter, then whisk until combined.
• Add heavy cream and shredded chicken back to soup.
• Drop balls of dumpling batter into soup, cover, and cook on low for five minutes.
• Garnish with parsley and serve.

Cottage Pie- Hearty Meals

The skies have been grey for weeks. While it’s cozy at home, you need a little comfort to feel better about how cold and miserable the weather has been. What better than a fortifying cottage pie to chase away the winter blues?

Recipe:

• 1 1/2 lb. potatoes, peeled
• Kosher salt
• 4 tbsp. melted butter
• 1/4 c. milk
• 1/4 c. sour cream
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 lb. ground beef
• 1 c. frozen peas
• 1 c. frozen corn
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 2/3 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

Recipe:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Start with the mashed potatoes. Cover potatoes with water and salt, boil till soft (15-20 minutes).
• Drain and mash until smooth. Mix in melted butter, milk, and sour cream.
• Next, make the beef mixture. Heat oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat.
• Add onions, carrots, garlic, and thyme, cook until soft.
• Add seasoned ground beef, cook until no longer pink.
• Stir frozen peas and corn into mince, simmer for three minutes.
• Sprinkle flour and stir in. Add chicken broth and simmer for five more minutes.
• Top mince with mashed potato and bake for twenty minutes.

Turkey Tetrazzini- Hearty Meals

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and there’s still a whole lot of turkey leftover. You have to use it before it goes bad, so why not try something new? Delicious turkey tetrazzini.

Recipe:

• Cooking spray
• 1 lb. spaghetti
• 6 tbsp. butter, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb. sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 1/2 c. white wine
• 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 c. heavy cream
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 lb. leftover roast turkey, chopped (about 5 cups)
• 1 c. shredded white cheddar
• 1 c. frozen peas
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 c. panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Method:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
• Cook spaghetti as usual.
• Melt some of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
• Add mushrooms and wine, cook for five minutes.
• Add remaining butter to skillet, whisk in flour and cook until golden.
• Add broth and cream, whisk.
• Simmer for five minutes, season.
• Add turkey, cheese, peas, and oregano, toss to coat.
• Combine panko, parmesan, and oil in a bowl. Coat pasta evenly.
• Bake for 25 minutes.

Image by Cottonbro via Pexels

Glazed Lemon Salmon

You’ve summoned the energy to have some close friends over for dinner. What’s easy, sophisticated, and delicious? Glazed lemon salmon.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 6-oz. salmon fillets, patted dry with paper towels
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 thinly sliced lemon
• 1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Method:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add salmon, skin side up. Season.
• Cook salmon until deeply golden, flip over, and cook for two more minutes. Transfer to plate.
• Reduce heat to medium, add butter, and lemon juice/zest. Cook for two minutes.
• Add lemon slices and broth to the skillet, season. Simmer on low for three to five minutes.
• Return salmon to skillet and simmer until cooked through – 4 minutes.
• Add remaining butter and stir. Garnish and serve immediately.

Angel Hair Pomodoro

This is for you if all the eating over Thanksgiving and Christmas has gotten to you and you’re in the mood for something delicious but light.

• 4 large beefsteak tomatoes, cored
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb. angel hair pasta
• Sea salt, for garnish
• Fresh basil

Method:

• Score bottoms of tomatoes with an X marking.
• Place tomatoes in a large pot of boiling water for three minutes till they start to peel. Transfer to colander.
• Peel skins off tomatoes once they have cooled.
• Blend with garlic, oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor until slightly chunky.
• Get water boiling again, cook angel hair pasta. Drain.
• Stir sauce into pasta, season, and garnish with basil. Serve immediately.