10 Cozy Winter Dinners

• In large skillet, melt one tablespoon butter. Cook chicken in skillet until no longer pink. Add in andouille sausage and continue to cook until slightly browned. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In large Dutch oven, melt butter with flour over LOW heat. Occasionally whisk the mixture to keep it from burning. Cook about 30-45 minutes until the roux is a dark caramel color.
• Add green peppers and onions. This will sizzle and stop the roux from cooking.
• Stir in chicken and sausage to the Dutch oven. Add chicken broth and Cajun seasoning.
• Simmer gumbo on low heat for 2 hours until reduced and slightly thickened. Alternatively, you can transfer the gumbo to a crockpot and cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
• Serve over rice.

• Cut onions into quarters leaving the skins on. Cut ginger into one-inch pieces and chop the top part of the garlic bulb off, leaving the cloves intact. On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, roast onions, ginger, and garlic for 30 minutes at 400F.
• Remove approximately 2 cups worth of meat from a cooked rotisserie chicken. Set the shredded chicken aside. Reserve the chicken carcass for making the broth.
• Cook rice noodles according to package and set aside.
• Add roasted onions, ginger, and garlic to a large stock pot with the rotisserie chicken carcass. Cover completely with water, about 8-10 cups.
• Stir in rosemary, thyme, fish sauce, hoisin sauce, cinnamon stick, lime, salt, and pepper.
• Simmer on medium heat for 2-3 hours. Strain broth through a fine mesh sieve.
• Add shredded chicken to the broth and serve in large bowls. Garnish with toppings of your choice.

• Brown beef in butter in a large dutch oven. 
• Add chopped onion and stir until softened.
• Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Turn off stove and allow to cool.
• Transfer chili to a large gallon size freezer bag and freeze.
• Cook in Instant Pot from Frozen: Dump frozen contents into the instant pot, adding 1/4 cup water or broth. Pressure cook on HIGH for 14 minutes followed by a 15-minute natural release.

• In one large dutch oven, sauté onions and brown sausage over medium-high heat. Add in rosemary and thyme for extra flavor. Once browned, add in garlic & red pepper flakes.
• Dump in pasta sauce, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and spices. Break up your uncooked lasagna noodles into 2-inch pieces. Bring soup to a boil and then reduce heat to simmer for about 25 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf and add in heavy cream.
• Garnish with cheeses of your choosing and serve with warm bread for dipping. Enjoy!

• Prepare a 9″x13″ casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• In large bowl, combine chicken, soups, and spices. Add mixture to casserole dish.
• Top chicken with Swiss cheese slices, laying out in a single layer. Add dry stuffing mix to top of cheese.
• Pour vegetable broth over top of the stuffing until moistened.
• Wrap pan in plastic wrap and cover with aluminum foil. Store in freezer for 4-6 months.
• Cook in Oven: Thaw overnight in refrigerator. Bake uncovered at 350F for 30 minutes.

• Coat unpeeled potatoes with a thin layer of vegetable oil or Crisco on the skin. Use a fork to poke a few holes in each potato. On a lined baking sheet, bake at 400F for 55-65 minutes until potato is tender.
• Allow potatoes to rest 5-10 minutes until you can easily handle them.
• Slice potatoes lengthwise in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the inside, leaving the skin intact. Place the insides of the potato in a medium bowl and repeat with the remaining potatoes.
• Use a hand mixer to combine the potatoes, bacon, onions, sour cream, heavy cream, butter, garlic powder, salt & pepper.
• Spoon the mashed potato mixture back into the potato skins.
• Bake at 400F for another 15-20 minutes until the tops start to get crispy.
• Top with more cheese, chives, or green onions.

Homemade Noodles

• In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/4" thickness and cut dough into 2-inch squares. Set aside on parchment lined baking sheet.

Chicken Pot Pie

• In a large stock pot, melt the butter and add in onions and mushrooms. Allow to cook low and slow until browned.
• Add in celery, peas, and carrots, cooking until tender.
• Sprinkle flour over vegetables and lightly stir.
• Add in remaining ingredients and bring broth to a rolling boil.
• Drop noodles in one at a time to avoid clumping. Continue to cook for 5-6 minutes.
• Serve warm and spritz with lemon juice (optional).

Crockpot Ham

• Spray crockpot with nonstick spray. Prepare the ham by rubbing brown sugar over the skin. Place ham in crockpot.
• Pour citrus juices over the ham. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook on LOW for 3-4 hours until heated through. Garnish with orange zest.

Cranberry Sauce

• Melt butter over low heat and add in onions. Cook low and slow for about 30 minutes until golden brown.
• Add in remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook until reduced and sauce is thickened.
• Use an immersion blender to puree sauce until smooth.
• Serve warm over ham.

Mashed Potatoes

• Peel potatoes and cut into 2-inch cubes.
• Add potatoes to instant pot and cover completely with water. Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook on HIGH pressure for 8 minutes. Quick release.
• Drain potatoes and return them to the pot.
• Add in cream, butter, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Use a hand mixer to mash potatoes until smooth. If potatoes are too lumpy, add more cream and butter.
• Fold in cheddar cheese and set aside.

Beef Mixture

• Brown butter in a large oven safe, sauté pan. Add ground beef to the skillet and allow to brown on each side before flipping. Break apart ground beef until thoroughly cooked.
• Add chopped onions, peas, and carrots to skillet and cook until softened.
• Sprinkle flour on top to coat beef and vegetable mixture.
• Stir in all spices and garlic until fragrant.
• Add tomato paste and flour stirring until combined.
• Add red wine allowing to simmer until slightly reduced. Then, add in broth, cocoa powder, coffee, and Worcestershire sauce.
• Allow entire mixture to reduce until slightly thickened.

Assemble

• Layer mashed potatoes on top of the beef mixture in your sauté pan making sure to seal the edges. Sprinkle with chives.
• Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned.

• In large Ziploc bag, combine flour, garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika, and cinnamon. Add in beef chunks and shake until coated.
• In large skillet, melt one tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add beef chunks to skillet and sear each side. Complete in two batches if needed to avoid overcrowding your pan.
• Remove beef chunks from skillet and place in a crockpot. Add carrots, onions, mushrooms, and celery on top.
• Pour red wine into the hot skillet to loosen up all the brown bits.
• Stir in tomato paste, coffee, cocoa powder, thyme, rosemary, and beef broth. Bring to a simmer.
• Pour sauce from skillet on top of beef and carrots. Add two bay leaves.
• Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours.
• In small bowl, combine cornstarch and water. In last thirty minutes, add cornstarch slurry to the sauce to thicken it up.
• Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.