These quick and easy meals are guaranteed to please even the hungriest of chilled tummies.
Grab a spoon and dig into warm bowl of happiness to ward off the winter chill.
Photo by Karen Hermann
BLACK BEAN, CORN AND SHRIMP CHOWDER
SERVES 6–8
1½ tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 scallions, chopped
½ red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken stock
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and ½-inch cubed
3 cups corn kernels (canned or frozen)
2 cans black beans, well drained
1 small jar (4 ounces) pimentos, drained and chopped
½ cup half-and-half
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Pinch, crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon arrowroot (or cornstarch)
1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped (or parsley)
Additional chopped cilantro (or parsley), for garnish
In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, heat olive oil. Sauté onions, scallions and peppers until soft. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute longer. Add stock and sweet potatoes and increase heat to medium high. Bring to a boil and simmer for 6 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Stir in corn, beans, pimentos, half-and-half, salt and peppers and bring to a simmer. Mix arrowroot with 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir into hot mixture. Simmer for 3–4 minutes until mixture starts to thicken; add shrimp and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off heat, cover and let stand until shrimp are cooked, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro or parsley. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with additional cilantro or parsley. Serve with crusty bread, if desired.
Potato, Sausage and Peppers Casserole
Three great ingredients that go great together.
Photo by Iuliia Nedrygailova
SERVES 6
2 large russet potatoes, cut into ¼-inch slices (peeling is optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound spicy ground pork sausage (or links with casing removed)
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 medium onion, peeled, halved and sliced
1 cup mini sweet bell pepper rings (or 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1–2 cups grated/shredded cheddar cheese (depending on preference)
Preheat oven to 400 F. In a large pot of boiling water, over medium heat, boil potato slices until tender but not breaking apart, about 8–10 minutes. In a large skillet, over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Crumble sausage and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove cooked sausage to a plate and set aside. Drain potatoes, pat dry and arrange slices in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and season lightly with salt and pepper. In the same skillet, sauté the onions and peppers until tender, about 3–4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté an additional minute. Add sausage, onions and peppers over potatoes and toss gently. Drizzle lightly with remaining oil and top with cheese. Bake in preheated oven, uncovered, until cheese is melted, 6–8 minutes.
Chicken Pasta Alfredo with Zucchini and Carrots
Chef Belinda’s twist on an Italian classic is a delicious way to chase away the cold.
Photo by Gina Moore
SERVES 8
1 pound rigatoni or rotini (or favorite pasta) cooked according to directions
Alfredo Sauce (see recipe below)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small zucchini, halved and thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly sliced
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups grated/shredded mozzarella
¼ cup grated Parmesan, optional
Chopped fresh basil or parsley, for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 F. Drain pasta and add it to the Alfredo sauce and toss to thoroughly coat. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
In a skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Sauté onions, peppers, zucchinis and carrots until tender but not mushy. Add chicken and onion zucchini mixture to pasta and toss gently. Top with cheeses and bake in preheated oven for 10–15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and garnish with chopped herbs.
Alfredo Sauce
1 pint (16 ounces) heavy cream
½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
White pepper, to taste
Heat heavy cream over low-medium heat in a deep sauté pan. Add butter and whisk gently to melt. Sprinkle in cheese and stir to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper.
Beef and Chorizo Meatballs over Bucatini
From the spicy meatballs to the tasty pasta, this recipe is way better than traditional spaghetti.
Photo by Gwénaël Le Vot
SERVES 6–8
1 pound ground beef
½ pound ground chorizo sausage
2 large scallions, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (or parsley)
¼ cup chopped fresh oregano
¼ cup rolled oats
¼ cup milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Pinch, crushed red pepper flakes
1 quart marinara sauce (or your favorite pasta sauce)
1 pound bucatini (or pasta noodles of choice) cooked according to directions
Grated Parmesan, for garnish
Additional chopped cilantro or oregano, for garnish
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients from ground beef to crushed red pepper. Mix well, but do not overmix. Using a medium-sized cookie scoop, form mixture into balls to make 12 meatballs. Refrigerate for at least ½ hour to allow meatballs to become firm. In a Dutch oven, over medium heat, bring sauce to a low boil. Make sure the sauce is hot. Lower the meatballs, one at a time, into the sauce. Do not stir or disturb meatballs, or they will fall apart. Allow to simmer until well-formed and cooked throughout. Serve on a large platter over bucatini garnished with additional Parmesan and cilantro.
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Homemade Garlic Bread
½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
3–4 garlic cloves, minced finely
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
French or Italian crusty bread loaf
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a medium bowl, blend butter, garlic and parsley well with a spatula. Use a serrated knife to cut loaf lengthwise in half. Smear both bread halves with garlic butter blend. Wrap loaf in foil and seal ends. Bake for 30 minutes, turning over halfway through baking process.
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Chef’s tips
Using a mandoline. The easiest way to ensure you get uniform slices of vegetables, potatoes and even cheese is to use a mandoline. But use extreme caution. Always use the guard that comes with the mandoline to ensure you do not accidently slice your fingers along with your ingredients. If you do not have a mandoline, a sharp chef’s knife will do the job.
What is bucatini? A long, thick spaghetti with a hole running through the middle, which makes it easier to absorb sauces. Use it interchangeably with spaghetti.
Mexican vs. Spanish chorizo? Mexican chorizo sausage is raw ground pork or beef and needs to be cooked before eaten. It will be packaged as links or bulk sausage in the refrigerated section of your grocery store. Spanish chorizo sausage is cured and will be found in the deli section as a hard deli meat. It can be consumed without cooking, like salami.
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Related stories
Complement these meals with homemade bread and treat yourself to more winter favorites.
Slow-cooker entreés—Put hearty meals on the table with a little help from your slow cooker and Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan’s recipes for everything from Zesty Gumbo to Barbecue Chicken Drumsticks.
No-knead Baguettes—Ooh la la! Chef Belinda’s recipe for classic French bread is tres magnifique! You’ll find it in the “No-knead breads, part II” collection.
Hearty soups and stews—Nothing hits the spot on a cold winter day quite like a warm bowl of soup or stew. From classic Ham and Bean Soup to rich Beef Burgundy Stew, Chef Belinda shares some of her favorite recipes.