Cold weather food
 

Time to share some good food ideas!

It is definitely winter down in Louisiana. All I have been craving is hearty, warm your soul, made with love-and-butter types of dishes. I’ve had this French chicken casserole, and also a Normandy version, in regular rotation since November. (not sure if it’s actually French or heavily Americanized. French board members- help me out) I am not bored with it. It’s incredible. I’ve received three marriage proposals after serving it for friends. But I need some more ideas for some warm your bones type food.

Things I’ve been eating:
Arroz con Leche for breakfast. My husband’s wela would always make this for him in the mornings. I didn’t realize until recently that it is actually a dessert. Dessert for breakfast. I am not mad about that at all. I have seen some recipes using whole milk. Bah. I always make mine like his grandma did with a combination of condensed and evaporated milk, served piping hot. Heaven in a bowl.

French chicken casserole. Not your mamas casserole. That is if your mama is from the Midwest like mine and prefers adding Campbell’s Cream of Chicken soup to everything (i still shudder at the sight of it). This is some moan inducing casserole, not groan inducing. I usually double the everything for the sauce, veggies and all, because I make my own baguette, one that no one else is allowed to touch, for dipping into that liquid gold. I don’t put in as much flour since I like this more saucy and less gravy-ish, add a little more garlic and use whatever herbs I have on hand. Occasionally I leave out the baby potatoes and make some creamed potatoes on the side, and whip up whatever winter veggies I got in my box from the farmers market. Fantastic. These are the two recipes I use as a base
French Chicken Casserole - Damn Delicious
French Chicken Casserole a la Normande (VIDEO) - Vikalinka


Anyone else have some good ideas to share?

Stews with whatever is in the fridge. Noodles or rice or barley or potato. Pre-sautee the onions and carrots until caramelized. Try adding a mashed avocado to soups or stews.

I have a number of dried Chinese vegetables I add sometimes. I love lily threads and lily bulb slices. Look up My Chinese Soup Recipes | Free Soup Recipes . I make a lot of those recipes. Lotus root soup - yum!

That chicken casserole sounds heavenly! I've never heard of it, but a lot of dishes are very regional I'm from a completely different region (Lyon/Beaujolais) and indeed it seems that the 'à la normande' version does exist in Normandy, but didn't look to see how similar the recipes are. The standard recipe seems like a very elaborate version of a basic ' poulet à la crème' (chicken with cream and mushrooms)

After a decade living in the Netherlands, one of my favorite winter comfort foods is Dutch split pea soup. It's split peas with root celery, leek, carrot, celery leaves, pork chop, a chunk of bacon and smoked sausage. Basically you cook everything together in a big pot (except the sausage), and once the meat is cooked it's taken out, cut into small pieces and returned to the soup. The smoked sausage is sliced and added to the soup near the end of the cooking time.

My French favorite is gratin dauphinois (sort of scalloped potatoes). Sliced potatoes, whole milk and cream, and a bit of garlic. Thats' it. No heavy cream, spices or cheese like many anglophone recipes include in theirs.

Wow that Arroz con leche sounds great, Im a fan of rice pudding but never had it made with either condensed or evaporated milk, having both sounds heavenly!

My potato dish.

Ingredients.
Sliced boiled potatoes
Chopped bacon, spring onions
Grated cheese
Herbs, paprika, black pepper
Cream.

Arrange boiled sliced potatoes in a layer in a dish, add handful of the cheese, bacon, spring onions, sprinkle with herbs, paprika and black pepper. Pour some cream over.
Repeat layering till dish is full.
Last layer should be cheese.

About 35 mins in the oven.

Jeez, I haven't had breakfast yet but I'm sitting here reading this thread and my mouth is watering.

When it has been a busy day and we don't have the energy to put together a "real" meal, I have a fallback chili recipe that's easy and great:

• 2# ground turkey (beef also works)
• 2 cans Ro-Tel (I like original, but you can go mild or hot as you prefer)
• 2 cans dark kidney beans
• 2 cans black beans
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 6 large cloves garlic, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• equal volume sweet peppers, diced

I brown the meat with a BUNCH of chili powder (preferring the "Hot Mexican" type that has extra cumin), then add the onion and garlic, continuing to cook until the onions get clear.

Add everything else, salt to taste, and let it simmer.

Indian food 24/7. My late hubby was Chinese but born in India and was a great cook in either cuisine. I've since found very good recipes for Instant Pot as long as it's hot and spicy!