Favorite winter comfort foods

[Nemo2]

Meatless burritos.....our 'Covid Isolation' Thanksgiving dinner:

 

[CardsFan]

Some of us think people who don't do that are the crazy ones!

+1

 

[jcfradio]

Having home-made ham and bean soup tonight.

Boiled down the bone (with lots of meat left on) from a ham shank. Soaked the beans over night. Cleaned the meat off the bone and then DW then sautéed onions, carrots, celery and cooked it down. Added some chicken stock to thin it a little. I'm sure she puts some other spices in, but not sure what they are. Biscuits tonight, but corn bread is good too.

Next favorite is turkey soup.

Friends look at us like we are crazy to save the bones or carcass and make soup, but we love it.

And before you even get to the ham shank (which we also do)....our fall comfort food is roast ham with corn fritters that are drizzled (or soaked) in maple syrup. Yummm!

 

[txtig]

Makers Mark

Nope. Not a winter food. It’s a year round staple.

 

[skipro33]

Hot apple pie

 

[JP.mpls]

Aja8888,
Sounds good. I love chili and spaghetti.

I'm always amazed that most people make these two meals, they are fairly simple, but everyone's taste different.

As a Minnesota boy, I must admit, I would be throwing a bunch of beans into that batch of chili.

JP

Good Texas Chili

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon
1 3- to 4-pound beef chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1” cubes
kosher salt
1 large onion, diced
2 jalapeños, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. ancho chili powder
1 tbsp. chipotle chili powder
1/2 tbsp. dried oregano
1/2 tbsp. ground cumin
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/2 c. lager beer
32 oz. low-sodium beef broth
2 c. water

Shredded cheddar, for serving
Sour cream, for serving
Chopped chives, for serving
Cornbread, for serving


Directions:

In a large pot, cook bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
Add beef cubes to bacon fat and sear until browned on all sides. Season with salt. Set aside.

Add onion, jalapeños, and garlic to pot and stir until soft, 5 minutes.

Add tomato paste and stir, then add spice mix and stir until combined, then return beef and bacon to pot and add crushed tomatoes, beer, beef broth, and water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and let cook until meat is tender, about 2 hours.

Serve garnished with cheese and serve with corn bread.

 

[aja8888]

Aja8888,
Sounds good. I love chili and spaghetti.

I'm always amazed that most people make these two meals, they are fairly simple, but everyone's taste different.

As a Minnesota boy, I must admit, I would be throwing a bunch of beans into that batch of chili.

JP

Hey, beans are OK in chili! If I'm not making a batch to feed a bunch of *real* Texans (I'm a Connecticut boy), I add a couple of cans of beans too. Usually red kidney beans (or pinto beans in Jalapeno sauce).

 

[KCGeezer]

Here's one from my Amish cookbook, easy and you can adjust/add/subtract any seasonings or veggies to the main recipe..

Is that the Recipes from Amish and Mennonite Kitchens? That’s probably our most well worn recipe book. Simple, natural ingredients, and good primer for novice cooks. Here’s another favorite from it.

Squash Soup

Sauté onions
Cube butternut squash
Simmer squash and onions in chicken stock till tender
Purée
Return to low heat
Add pint of cream
Salt and pepper to taste

I like to leave little bits for texture. Hmmmmmm

 

[NW-Bound]

Nothing says winter to me more than onion soup and couple hunks of hearty multigrain bread. I have no special recipe since it’s so simple.

https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/classic-french-onion-soup/

Onion soup! Yes, how could I forget to mention it?

In the winter, I make onion soup by a gallon at a time. And I eat it by the bowlful, not by a bitty cup.

The only hard thing is browning the onion. When I did it on the stovetop, it would take 1 hour, by babysitting and stirring the pot every few minutes. Once you burn the onion you have gone past the point of no return. I once had to salvage the top of the onion and discard the burnt bottom layer. What a mess!

Then, I discovered that using a toaster oven required less frequent checking. And then, once I had the airfryer, that turned out to be the easiest thing. It's been a year since I made onion soup, and I will have to rediscover the temperature setting and how often to check and stir the onion.

 

[pacergal]

Love homemade soups with bone broth--ham, chicken, turkey!
Great recipes, you are giving me some good ideas and variety for our menus!


Here are a couple more.

Baked Oatmeal
3 Cups rolled oats, 1 Cup Brown sugar, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 tsp vanilla, 3/4 cup dried cranberries
Chia and/or flax seeds if desired.

Mix all ingredients. Spread in 9x13 pan. Bake 350 degrees for 40 minutes



Seafood Étouffée
2 sticks butter, 1 onion chopped, 1 bell pepper chopped, 2 ribs celery chopped, 1 can Rotel tomatoes, 2 cans cream of mushroom soup, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 teas. parsley, dash of Worch. sauce, 1-2 lbs. seafood

saute butter with veggies for 4 hours. Add lemon juice, worch. sauce, parsley and soup. Stir well and add 2 lbs seafood (catfish, shrimp are good). Cook until seafood is cooked/about 20-30 minutes.

 

[Dawg52]

A go to for me during the winter is cream of broccoli soup with a grilled cheese sandwich. I'm not into making my own soup so I buy from a local deli.

 

[ERD50]

Onion soup! Yes, how could I forget to mention it?

In the winter, I make onion soup by a gallon at a time. And I eat it by the bowlful, not by a bitty cup.

The only hard thing is browning the onion. When I did it on the stovetop, it would take 1 hour, by babysitting and stirring the pot every few minutes. Once you burn the onion you have gone past the point of no return. I once had to salvage the top of the onion and discard the burnt bottom layer. What a mess!

Then, I discovered that using a toaster oven required less frequent checking. And then, once I had the airfryer, that turned out to be the easiest thing. It's been a year since I made onion soup, and I will have to rediscover the temperature setting and how often to check and stir the onion.

Onions upset DW's stomach, but I love them. I found a recipe that works fantastic for making single servings of Onion Soup. Basically, you caramelize the onions in butter in the microwave. This works great for a small amount, but in my experience, even increasing to two servings causes the onions to stew more than caramelizing, though YMMV, or you could do it in two batches. Just takes a few minutes, then add the broth (I use canned beef broth, not the bouillon cube in the recipe), microwave some more, add cheese, microwave a bit more to melt.

I was skeptical, the onions aren't as brown as if I did it in a pan, but it really did have that deep brown flavor. I adjusted the butter down a bit, still was fantastic!


https://food-hacks.wonderhowto.com/...-french-onion-soup-in-your-microwave-0166887/

-ERD50

 

[ERD50]

Osso Bucco!

It's really pretty simple, you braise the ingredients and a long slow oven does the rest. I base mine on this recipe, but I prefer lamb shanks to veal:

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Osso_Buco

The veggies and meat just melt down to an amazing sauce. Gotta cook it long enough for those shanks to be super tender. The small amount of lemon peel in the dish, and a bit of fresh lemon peel and parsley topping at the end elevates this to something wonderful.

-ERD50

 

[Badger]

Lentil soup similar to Carrabas is a favorite of ours.


1 pound of spicy Italian sausage (cook with a little olive oil then add onions to cook)
1 onion diced
3 large carrots diced or grated on the large opening
4 cloves of garlic (more if you like)
Italian seasonings or oregano (you decide the amount)
Red pepper flakes (you decide the amount)
1 bag of lentils
6 cans Chicken broth or water (you can always add more at any time)
1 can of Petite cut tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
Salt/Pepper/Parsley
Serve with Parmesan cheese



I also add about a 1/2 cup of barley for extra fiber and protein complementing with the lentils but this is not in Carrabas soup.
I think this is everything. I have my own sequence of putting it together but I don't think it really matters. I do like to cook the sausage first and saute everything before adding the tomatoes and chicken broth. Makes quite a lot but it can be packed and frozen. I like it so much that I just put it in the refrigerator and continue to eat it for a few days. It isn't just easy to make or tasty but it is probably one of the healthiest soups if you don't mind the sausage. It is very high in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.



Cheers!

 

[MichaelB]

What a great thread topic. To my fortune, DW is an excellent seasonal cook, so there will be lots of fall and winter dishes. The first two that come to mind are Oxtail Soup and Roasted Root Vegetables. DW has no written recipe for either but insistes they are pretty straightforward.

Roasted root vegetables are sweet potato, turnip, parsnip, carrots, and onions, all cut into similarly sized pieces. Salt, pepper, rosemary, olive oil. Roast at 400

Oxtail soup is oxtail, add chicken broth until covered, bring to boil, then cover and simmer until meat is soft, maybe 2 hours. Then add onion and red potato cut into medium size pieces, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, cumin, and a jalapeño. Let cook for 1/2 or so. Add cilantro and serve.

 

[Midpack]

Oxtail soup is oxtail, add chicken broth until covered, bring to boil, then cover and simmer until meat is soft, maybe 2 hours. Then add onion and red potato cut into medium size pieces, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper, cumin, and a jalapeño. Let cook for 1/2 or so. Add cilantro and serve.

Thanks for the memory. When we lived in Germany, my Dad ordered Ochsenschwanzsuppe every time we went to a restaurant if it was on the menu. Lots of recipes online, it was very common in German restaurants back then (more often made with beef tails these days?).

 

[folivier]

Dare I say: gumbo!
Not posting a recipe, if you don't know how to make it it ain't gumbo.

 

[ERD50]

Dare I say: gumbo!
Not posting a recipe, if you don't know how to make it it ain't gumbo.

No, you may not!

Us northerners don't know how to make good gumbo, so it's just not fair!

DW doesn't like Andouille sausage, so I'm craving red beans and rice as well. I have got her to like okra though. I split it, season it, and cook it very quickly on a very hot grill. That drives out enough of the moisture to minimize the 'slime', and the flavor comes through really well.

-ERD50

 

[gretah]

I've been taking a break from cooking from scratch lately.

This fall I have been enjoying the best brands of canned and boxed soups, like made by Amy's and Wolfgang Puck. I add spices, nuts, and sometimes cheese.

Butternut squash - add pumpkin seeds, nutmeg, cloves, and a dollop of creme fraiche or sour cream. Touch of brandy is nice, too.

Amy's Southwestern Vegetable is my favorite. The veges are roasted. I add chicken left over from rotisserie chicken.

Chicken bone broth with a teaspoon of ground raw cashews, whirled together in small food processor until smooth.

Carrot soup with fresh ginger. Peel ginger with a spoon, grate with microplane and add just before serving.

Mushroom soup with a dash of bourbon and a dash of Worcestershire.

Beef bone stock with a bit of compound herb butter made this past summer and frozen in ice cube trays.

Chicken noodle soup with a spoon of pesto stirred in.

 

[txtig]

Dare I say: gumbo!
Not posting a recipe, if you don't know how to make it it ain't gumbo.

+1

DW frequently makes a big pot of gumbo if we’re having a group of people over to the house in fall or winter. She can make it ahead of time and folks can just help themselves when they want. People always love it.

And, speaking of gumbo recipes, it reminded me of a funny bit I saw on TV awhile back. Sandra Smith (Fox News anchor who went to LSU) was interviewing Donna Brazil (lifelong Democrat and Louisiana native). They somehow got to talking about the Cajun Holy Trinity and Sandra made a comment that it consisted of onions, bell peppers, and carrots. Donna, whom I pretty much never agree with, was quick to jump in there and tell her to save those carrots for another recipe, and that the Holy Trinity was onions, bell peppers and celery. I was glad that Donna was there to keep Sandra’s recipe from going unchallenged on national TV (fake news?). Time to send Sandra back to Loosiana for some remedial cooking lessons.

 

[folivier]

Carrots? carrots??
Years ago my DW and I were on a liveaboard dive boat and became friends with the chef. He told us he was making gumbo for dinner, I told my DW that should be interesting. That night I grabbed my bowl, looked around and asked him where was the rice? Deer in the headlights look, no rice. His gumbo was more like a vegetable soup and yes there were carrots in it. And he didn't make a roux.
I didn't post a recipe since gumbo is a personal thing and there are different ways to make it. But you always start with a roux. And NO carrots!

 

[papaof2]

Make a side of cornbread while it simmers and you're well fed for a few days ;-)

From my wife's collection, not mine ;-)

Sausage Bean Chowder serves 10-12
1lb bulk sausage (pork, turkey, mild/hot to your taste)
2 (16oz) cans kidney beans (undrained)
2 (15 1/2oz) cans diced (or finely diced - sometimes marked "petite diced") tomatoes (undrained)
4C water
1 medium onion, chopped (adjust to taste - we like a little less onion)
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste - we use very little salt when cooking)
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 chopped green pepper (optional)
1 C diced potatoes (increase if you like potatoes or need to stretch the recipe)

In a large pot (there's about 12 cups of "stuff" in that list) cook sausage until brown. Pour off fat. (You may find it easier to cook the sausage - especially if it's the paste-texture turkey sausage - in a large skillet. You will still need the big pot for simmering everything.)
Add kidney beans, tomatoes, water, onion, bay leaves, salt, garlic salt, thyme and pepper to browned sausage.
Simmer covered 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add potatoes and green pepper. Cook covered 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Remove bay leaves (and green pepper if bagged) and serve.

 

[outdoorgirl02]

My favorite would be a fresh hot vanilla latte with fresh-out-of-the-oven peach pie.

 

[KCGeezer]

It was 85 yesterday then the front moved through. 43, grey, and almost drizzly today. What to do, what to do, make meatloaf!

 

[albireo13]

Great thread.
My wife makes a killer corn chowder.
With some hot, crusty bread a great way fend off the oncoming chill!