A Season Of Warm Dishes

One of the best aspects of November and cold weather is creating tasty , warm dishes. The salads days are over. It's time to think comfort food along with heart and gut warming recipes.

The first thing to do is dust off the crock pot. It probably hasn't been used since May or June. Now is the time to make all sorts of chilis and soups. What's so great about the first is that you can make it anyway you want. Feel like a meaty version? Then add ground beef or turkey. If you want vegan, thunk about using Boca's Crumbles which are the soy version of chopped meat. The taste is the same as is the texture.Make double and freeze for those busy days ahead. Another warm dish is homemade soup. One of the most popular right now is the easy to cook squash soup. It's just simmering cubed butternut in a chicken or vegetable broth. You can give it a folksy New England spin with a dash of apple cider and cinnamon. I prefer it Piedmontese style with the addition of milk , butter and rice. This can be turned vegan with the subbing in soy or almond milk and faux plant butters. Minestrone is another home made soup which is the perfect warm dish. It can have a base of veggie, beef or chicken broth. What is fun is using different small pastas such as orzo or ditalini to make it heartier. Add hot crusty Italian bread drizzled with olive oil as a  side.

What are other warm dishes to make during these nippy days?  One is ratatouille. This is a wonderful melange of eggplant, onions and tomatoes. If there are no decent tomatoes to be had, use the canned ones. A lot of the recipes call for squash and zucchini, however those may be hard to come by nowadays. Sub in acorn squash instead for color and some sweetness. As with the minestrone, have a hot , crusty Italian bread at the ready to dip into the sauce. Tomato sauce is another warm dish that can be used in a variety of different warm dishes. Try a crock pot version for lasagna or for a big platter of spaghetti and meatballs. Keep in mind that sauce would also work well for any hot meatball or Parm sub. Make double the amount of sauce for all these dishes. If you feel you 've made too much , remember it freezes well.The UK knows how create a warm dish, especially their shepherd's pie. A plus about it is that you can use leftover ground beef and mashed potatoes for the crust. The filling is a simple ground lamb or beef , cooked with corn and peas. Tomato paste makes it juicy while the crust is  thick layer of a tasty and buttery mashed potatoes. You can add a sprinkle of Parmesan, for a cheesier , crunchier crust.

Relish this season of warm dishes. It's the perfect time to make hot and soothing meals to take away the chill. Enjoy them with family and friends.