Winter Warmers: Our Favorite Cold Weather Recipes

When the mercury goes down, it’s time to crank up the heat in the kitchen and get to making warming, soothing dishes. Here are a few of our favorite cold weather recipes to keep you warm this winter.

Easy Beef Goulash

Ingredients

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Photo credit: Gonna Want Seconds

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. ground beef

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1 1/4 cup low sodium beef broth

1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1 tsp. paprika

1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked

1 cup shredded cheddar

Chopped parsley for garnish

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Drain fat and return to pan. Add tomato paste and stir to coat, then pour in broth, tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Season with Italian seasoning and paprika, and stir in macaroni. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in cheese and remove from heat. Garnish with parsley.

Chicken Pot Pie

Photo credit: BigOven

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

2/3 cup milk

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 (14.5 oz.) can peas and carrots

1/2 (15 oz.) can whole new potatoes, drained

1 (15 oz.) package prepared double-crust pie pastry

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion, flour, salt and pepper in melted butter until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and pour chicken broth and milk into the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook to thicken, about 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat and stir chicken, peas and carrots and potatoes into the broth mixture. Press one pie pastry into the bottom of a deep-dish pie pan. Pour the broth mixture into the pie pastry. Top with remaining pastry and press edges together to form a seal. Cut several slits into the top pastry. Place pie plate on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until the crust is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let pie cool and filling thicken at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before cutting.

Winter Squash and Blue Cheese Pasta

Ingredients

Photo credit: Taste of Home

1 package (16 oz.) gemelli or spiral pasta

1 package (12 oz.) frozen mashed winter squash, thawed

1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) crumbled blue cheese, divided

3/4 cup half-and-half

1 1/2 tsp. rubbed sage

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 cups fresh baby spinach

1/3 cups chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions

In a 6-qt. stockpot, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Return pasta to pot. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine squash, 1 cup cheese, cream, sage, salt and pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes or until heated through. Stir in spinach until wilted. Add squash mixture to pasta. Toss to combine, adding enough reserved pasta water to moisten. Top with walnuts and remaining cheese before serving.

After a warm, delicious meal, take the time to enjoy these cold weather gifts!