Winter Recipe Capsule

Happy Eastertide, everybody! 

And can you believe it? . . . Spring has sprung! It may not exactly feel it, especially for you northern folk who just got hit by a bunch of random April snow. Yikes! Sorry 'bout that. But spring's here whether the weather wants to cooperate or not. Flowers are blooming, the sun shines late into the day, and the air has that warm, happy, things-are-growing springtime scent. Mmmmmm.

You know, I'm totally into every single wardrobe capsule post I read. It's definitely something I'm going to do some day when we have more storage space in our NEW HOUSE!! (I'm going to have to leave you with a cliffhanger there, but yes, we got a house!) But today, I'm going to switch things up and create for your viewing (and eating) pleasure, A WINTER RECIPE CAPSULE! AKA the recipes that got us through the winter.

What makes a recipe a winter recipe? Oh, I don't exactly know. Warm, filling, comfort food-y to get you through the winter blues, carby to help you pack on some extra blubber to survive the cold winter temps. Yeah, that about covers it.

While these recipes may not apply right now (unless you're one of the unlucky few who is currently buried under a northern pile of snow), they'll be great to come back to once winter hits again next year. Or if you don't care about matching your meals to the season, I say go for it! We've loved making and devouring each one of these, so I hope you will too, no matter when you make them.

Crock Pot Jalapeno Popper Chicken Chili

While I'm not a huge goat cheese fan, it totally makes this recipe. Yum! To cut costs, we usually replace red/orange/yellow peppers in any recipe with plain ol' green. I know they don't taste exactly the same, but especially in this recipe which cooks for hours and hours in a crock pot, I'm pretty sure you won't notice a difference.

Dilly Stew

A big thanks to Ashlie for introducing me to this one. Oh my YUM! Take her advice and double the dumplings in this one. They're the best part!

Bean Tavy

We all love Kendra at Catholic All Year, amirite? This recipe is delish and super filling, especially over a big bowl of pasta. Oh, and did I mention? It's about the easiest recipe you'll ever make.

  

Warm Tortellini and Cherry Tomato Salad

John and I have been enjoying this recipe for a few winters now. It's pretty easy to throw together, and fills you up without feeling too heavy. Plus, I'm always a sucker for something that combines pasta and greens. The dressing recipe that goes along with this one is okay, but you can make it way easier, and probably tastier, on yourself if you pick out your fave balsamic vinaigrette from the grocery store and just go with that.

Sweet Potato Chili

Woah! A throwback to my very old, barely used blog. I don't mind embarrassing myself to share this one with ya because this recipe is the bomb. Easy, tasty, cheap, and vegetarian! I lived off this stuff when I was a full-time volunteer for a year. Check it.

Butternut Squash Quesadillas

I'm linking to within my own blog here. But I take no credit for this tasty creation: this one's a family recipe. Another one that's tasty, cheap, and vegetarian! Not exactly easy though, since it does involve a butternut squash. Those things are a beast. I like to say . . . When someone makes you a recipe with butternut squash, they must really love you, because butternut squash is WORK. That work is well worth it here, though, I can promise you that. Once the squash is chopped, this is very easy! Worth the sweat.

 

Thai Beef Chili

 

Lots of fun and unique flavors here. My favorite part is the can of coconut milk. Tell me, have you ever had a bad recipe that involved a can of coconut milk? Pretty sure the answer is no. That stuff is divine! Extra special thanks to Katie for recommending this one. 

 Crock Pot Vegetarian Moroccan Stew

Another recipe with fun and unique flavors. This time, the star ingredient is cinnamon. I know, cinnamon and veggies . . . sounds a little weird, right? But I promise it's good. So good. Oh, and yeah, this one's another butternut squash recipe. But again, worth the effort! Plus, it makes a TON of food. We usually get at least 3 nights out of it.

Pozole 

Ignore the fact that this one comes from GQ Magazine and may include a silly/obnoxious article leading up to it. John made this recipe recently and it's to die for!! Also, SO SPICY! So if you're not into spicy, leave out about 1/2 the peppers in adobo sauce, or make sure you have LOTS of sour cream on hand. But wow, this one is jam packed with amazing flavor. And it's super filling. Great for a party! 

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup 

You know, enchiladas are SO GOOD, but also SO MUCH WORK. This recipe takes the work out of the equation, but leaves the tasty. :) We like to top it with avocado and tortilla chips in addition to the cheese and scallions and cilantro.

Zucchini Lasagna

Not gonna lie, slicing the zucchini super thin with a mandolin, then straining them, then layering, then baking . . . this recipe takes a lot of love and time. But it's good. So dang good. And it'll last ya several nights, or serve several guests at a party. Plus, it'll warm ya to the bones.

African Peanut Stew

It might sound weird, but the combo of peanuts and cilantro and sriracha . . . pretty much a match made in Heaven. We skipped the rice on this one, but added a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, a big spoonful of extra peanut butter, and 16 oz of cubed tofu. Now that's what I call a Happy Meal!

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Bowl

I'm all about that quinoa, 'bout that quinoa. :) And I especially love a good quinoa bowl. But sometimes, I don't want all the healthy that comes with your typical quinoa dish. Enter: BBQ Chicken Quinoa Bowl. I guess it's not that bad for you, but with the BBQ sauce mixed in and that healthy dose of cheddar cheese . . . yeah. That's next level stuff right there. Now imagine topping it all off with bacon. :-O

Italian Wonderpot

Another shout out to Katie for this one! Not only is this so good, but guys, it only requires one pot! You basically throw it all in, water and pasta and everything, and boil it 'til the water is gone. So . . .  minimal mess, minimal work, maximum yum? You got it! Plus, you top this bad boy with feta. Does it get any betta? ;)

Arugula Lemon Feta Pizza 

Speaking of feta. :) Alright, so try to keep up with me here because we made quite a few adjustments to this recipe. First, eliminate the zucchini. Too much work, too watery. Instead, I tossed some arugula in oil, salt, and pepper and placed it on top like a big ol' salad after this bad boy came out of the oven. Also, we probably doubled the feta. And I added some toasted pine nuts. It was glorious. Don't be afraid to leave the rind on the lemon slices like it recommends. It gives this a really strong lemon flavor. So fresh, so yum. And here's the pizza dough recipe we used. But I bet store bought would work just as well. 

 

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So there you have it! My 2015-2016 Winter Recipe Capsule. Is your tummy grumbling yet? Mine sure is.

Now tell me, what would you put in your Winter Recipe Capsule? I'm dying to know! Bonus points for links!