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lucillle

Cold Weather Food

5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago

It is a cool crisp 31 degrees here in Texas where I live this morning. A perfect day for cold weather food. I'm going to make pasta and meat sauce, with one of those meat sauces 'Sunday Gravy' that you cook for hours with plenty of deliciously fragrant garlic.

Are you making cold weather food today? How cold is it where you are?

Comments (44)

  • 5 years ago

    It got down to 26 in Alabama, which is unheard of for down here. Made a big pot of turkey noodle soup. I do not like cold weather at all!

    lucillle thanked janey_alabama
  • 5 years ago

    I have your same weather. I made tomato basil soup last night... not entirely from scratch. I used the HEB soup base and added basil from my garden and butter, half and half, cheddar, cut up meat balls. Not sure what I will do tonight. I might do a chicken enchilada casserole or use up the veggies I bought last week.

    lucillle thanked User
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    No, sorry for any misunderstanding. There's no need to analyze or impute what any unstated focus of my question was, I think the words I used expressed what I was curious about. I use my grandmother's split pea soup recipe and I like it just fine. I think of soup and other such things in terms of input quantities and not output. One batch is one 1 pound bag, a large batch is two. The rest of the ingredients are added by sight and by feel and taste and not by measurement, as she taught me. I do know weights and volumes, both Imperial and Metric. I was asking about the inputs and quantities, not the resulting output. It must take more than a pint of liquid to make a pint of soup. We don't prepare food in advance nor practice any kind of food storage. Other than cupboard staples and wine, we buy what we want to use when we want to use it and not in advance. The large standalone upright freezer in the kitchen is 75% empty. If you wanted to make a pint of strawberry jam, for instance, it must surely take more than one pint of strawberries. I could have been more clear when asking "how much soup" because I meant how much liquid do you use. The "pounds of peas" question would seem clear as with "what else do you put into it.".
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  • 5 years ago

    It’s a pretty mild 48 degrees in the South East of the U.K.

    I made a big pot of chicken curry yesterday, so I’ll be having that with slices of banana on top, and a side of garlic and parsley flatbread.

    lucillle thanked User
  • 5 years ago

    It is a little below 30 this morning in East Texas.... slightly higher than some other places in the area.

    I am going to make soup today. I love homemade soup, and I make it all year round.

    I went to Froberg's last week when I had to go back down to the coast, and bought sausage at Greak's Smoke House, which adjoins Froberg's. I love their sausage, and usually make sausage and potato soup, which has cream and cheese....not low fat, but my favorite. I will probably make some rendition of that.

    I made chicken and dressing yesterday and froze some in my Seal A Meal....but saved enough for breakfast.

    I probably will cook sausage and cabbage later this week, and chicken and dumplings are also in the plans.

    lucillle thanked marilyn_c
  • 5 years ago

    It's cold here and chili sounds good.

    lucillle thanked sal 60 Hanzlik
  • 5 years ago

    19 right now ...headed for the low 30 's. I should have made Veggie/Beef

    soup yesterday. Not sure if I will be home to eat or not. Maybe make

    some chili...that's quick.

    lucillle thanked Uptown Gal
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    It was 20 here this morning in KC. I'm going to make a pot of chile in the crockpot tomorrow and freeze some of it. I may also make a batch of ham and beans to use up the leftover ham I have in the fridge.

    I have some leftover tamales and spanish rice for tonight's dinner.

    lucillle thanked LoneJack Zn 6a, KC
  • 5 years ago

    Low 30’s in coastal Carolina. Some of your temps make our temp seem like a heat wave. Soup is cooking in crock pot, bread in the oven. We are sitting by fireplace.

    lucillle thanked hallngarden
  • 5 years ago

    Not all that cold here - high 40's day time; low 40's at night. Pretty normal for this time of year :-)

    I will either make tacos or pasta with marinara and Italian sausage. Refried beans with the tacos and garlic bread if the pasta.

    lucillle thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
  • 5 years ago

    Mid 40s in central NC, but really breezy. I have a half recipe of TGI Fridays black bean soup on the stove.

    lucillle thanked aok27502
  • 5 years ago

    It's the usual cold day today for this time of year. Tonight we're having vegetarian lasagna. It's delicious and is a large recipe, so lots for leftovers.

    lucillle thanked stacey_mb
  • 5 years ago

    It’s about 48f here in SW U.K. too. I’m about to make a quiche with the chard I just brought home from the allotment. Got a bag of kale too but that’s for tomorrow.

    lucillle thanked floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
  • 5 years ago

    High 70's here in SoCal but that didn't stop me from making chili last night. Things cool down quite a bit in the evenings.

    lucillle thanked chloebud
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I must live in the tropics compared to some of you, haha. I'm 20 min south of downtown Seattle. My outside thermometer says it's 41 degrees. I have a crockpot of chili going. It will simmer on low all day. I commented on the Foodsaver thread - I'll vacuum seal a few bags of the chili and stick in the freezer. I won't want to eat chili for a week so I vacuum seal part of it for later.

    lucillle thanked sephia_wa
  • 5 years ago

    22.8 according to the weather station in the garden this morning. Making Chipotle Butternut Squash/Sweet Potato soup; my variation on a Bobby Flay recipe.

    lucillle thanked jrb451
  • 5 years ago

    I am in CA and had several families from Italy as neighbors.

    Sometimes the sauce was called Gravy, because non English speaking Italian immigrants were told by immigrants from England, the sauce was called Gravy.

    Sometimes the sauce was called Sunday Sauce because it was made for Sunday Family Dinners.

    Either name, in my area, it was a tomato/meat based sauce...pork chops, pork ribs, beef chunks, Italian sausage. It was not ground beef in tomato sauce!

    Put some pasta in a dish, pick out some meat, then some sauce.

    lucillle thanked User
  • 5 years ago

    I eat almost the same year round so I do not have any cold weather food. Between the heat of the summer's I may roast a chicken but that is it. Life is too short for me to "save" what I want to eat for either hot or cold temperatures.

    lucillle thanked maifleur03
  • 5 years ago

    Janey, you must be in a more southern part of Alabama than I am. We dropped to the upper teens last night, something we expect every year at some time. I even still have a little snow on the shady parts of my yard this afternoon.

    I've had requests for split pea soup so that's on the agenda for tonight. Mine has chopped carrots, celery, and onions in it as well as the dried peas.

    lucillle thanked rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
  • 5 years ago

    Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, comfort food that's also cold weather food.

    lucillle thanked User
  • 5 years ago

    33 degrees here in NW Pennsylvania. We have about 8" of heavy wet snow and more is falling. I am making beef stew for supper tonight

    lucillle thanked Rose Pekelnicky
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Either name, in my area, it was a tomato/meat based sauce...pork chops, pork ribs, beef chunks, Italian sausage. It was not ground beef in tomato sauce!

    My first ex is Italian with a large Italian family, and many Italian friends. My meat sauce today is being made with Italian sausage and ground beef as well, and his mother made it that way. I'm sure different families had different recipes.

    She was quite a cook, and if she varied a tradition, I'm sure she will be forgiven. I still recall the dinner at her home when I was brought to meet the family, an incredible feast.

  • 5 years ago

    Split pea soup in the crockpot. For dinner meatloaf with baked potatoes and asparagus with salad. Then leftovers with soup for a few days.

    lucillle thanked kathyg_in_mi
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    25F and snowing. ☺ Making a turkey pot pie from scratch for dinner. Pecan pie for dessert. Ivan the cat.....he's yowling as he plays with his pink puffy toy.....calling me to come join him.

    lucillle thanked User
  • 5 years ago

    Think I might be looking at it and can't see it, but do we not have :"search" available to us any more? I wanted to search for Glenda's White Chili, but could not find the search bar. Left and came back and still can't find it. Please help this aging brain to find it.

    lucillle thanked WalnutCreek Zone 7b/8a
  • 5 years ago

    Here's white chili with my rendition:

    1 can chicken broth

    1Tbl olive oil

    2 boneless chicken breast, chopped **I buy wal mart cooked chicken and use dark and white meat

    1/4 cup or more chopped onion

    1 4 oz can green chiles, chopped WITH juice

    1 19 oz can navy beans, undrained OR one undrained can of hominy

    1 tsp garlic powder

    1/2 tsp cilantro ***I use instead 2 tsp chili powder

    1/2 tsp oregano

    1/8 tsp red pepper

    Sauce chicken and onions 4-5 minutes in olive oil **If using Wal Marts cooked, saute onions only till translucent

    Stir in spices, broth, simmer about 15 minutes, then add beans and shredded chicken and simmer 5 more minutes, to get the flavors blended.

    We love it topped with fritos, shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream


    lucillle thanked glenda_al
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Oh, @glenda_al, thank you so much. That sounds delicious. Think I have everything to make it - might use turkey instead of chicken. I have copied and pasted into a Word document.

    I would still like to know if we can no longer do searches.

    Update: Never mind. Just found it.

    lucillle thanked WalnutCreek Zone 7b/8a
  • 5 years ago

    In KC it was 27 last nite and 20's today. Made some potato soup with leftover Thanksgiving frozen mashed potatoes.

    lucillle thanked ladypat1
  • 5 years ago

    Italian American from Brooklyn -- no garlic in our Sunday "gravy."

    lucillle thanked User
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I think there is quite the variation, at least when one looks at all the recipes, for Sunday Gravy.

    Here, Clemenza from The Godfather: Heh, come over here, kid, learn something. You never know, you might have to cook for twenty guys someday. You see, you start out with a little bit of oil. Then you fry some garlic. Then you throw in some tomatoes, tomato paste, you fry it; ya make sure it doesn’t stick. You get it to a boil; you shove in all your sausage and your meatballs; heh?… And a little bit o’ wine. An’ a little bit o’ sugar, and that’s my trick.

    BTW, I think the best Godfather quote is: "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."


  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Jim Mat, when you say CA, do you mean Canada or California? They have about the same population and also the same abbreviation for their name. My guess is that you mean Canada, but I am in California, and so it's a bit of a stretch for me.

    My Sicilian roommate in San Francisco always called marinara sauce "gravy," but I always called it sauce. He was born in Manhattan (grew up in Queens), and he would also say that he was going to "put up some gravy," which I did not understand at first. I had to learn New York English from him, but it proved to be very helpful.

    It's balmy here during the day, around 80° but is quite cool in the early morning at around 48°. I have to heat the pool, but not the house. This morning, I had a craving for chicken soup, but by the afternoon, my craving changed to chicken cacciatore, and so I'll probably make that this evening instead of soup. I think I can wait a few days before I really need soup. I do love soup, however.

    lucillle thanked Lars
  • 5 years ago

    No sugar either! We used garlic in meatless sauces, for sure So many varieties, but your mother's gravy is always the best!

    lucillle thanked User
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I agree no sugar. Speaking of sweets, I wish I could make really good cannoli. I have tried, they were OK, but don't come up to my memories of cannoli in Little Italy with my parents in NYC. They would take us to the feast of San Gennaro. Wonderful memories.

  • 5 years ago

    The first chilly weather we've had since last late winter or early spring, if not before that.

    It's 53F at 5:20 PM. Low 40s by morning. Not cold enough to kill mosquitoes.

    And not cold enough to turn on the heat. If it does get chilly I'll bake something, do laundry, whatever. Or leave my old technology Sony Bravia TV turned on. It's almost like a little heater.

    I've seen mid 20s here (at least at knee height) but not since 2010/11.

    " ... I'll vacuum seal a few bags of the chili and stick in the freezer."

    I have some in my freezer too. I'll squeeze out a brick of chili into a double boiler to thaw and heat so I don't have to stand there and babysit it. It almost seems better than when first made. :)

    lucillle thanked Richard (Vero Beach, Florida)
  • 5 years ago

    We finally got a cold front - going down in the 40s tonight, and freeze warnings for inland and north of us.

    Making winter squash, lentil and barley stew with buttery biscuits.

    lucillle thanked carolb_w_fl_coastal_9/10
  • 5 years ago

    It's supposed to peak at 75°F here, though it's still a couple degrees shy of that. Sunny and breezy. Pretty much lovely out, and feels warmer than it is.

    I love cold weather food, but at the moment, it's just cool enough to think about making some pizza dough. That is, cool enough for a 500°F oven. :)

    I do intend to make beef stew for Saturday, warm or not. Does that count? Maybe some pumpkin rolls to go with it.

    lucillle thanked plllog
  • 5 years ago

    64F here in coastal SoCal. Making crockpot chili for tonight. The smell is making me hungry!

    lucillle thanked sealavender
  • 5 years ago

    In the mid 30's here and about time. I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt to hike yesterday and today, my down coat , wool mittens, and hat. I'm so sick of the hot weather and every month this entire year was the hottest ever or in the top 3. So I'm in my glory now and making oven meals. I won't heat up the house making oven meals till it's cold. Last night was roast chicken, roasted potatoes, baked apples, and glazed carrots and right now it's turkey loaf with Au gratin potatoes and corn on the cob. And I just heard a ding so it's done.

    lucillle thanked lily316
  • 5 years ago

    Lots of soups here in Michigan for winter. Make chili year round DH favorite.

    lucillle thanked Judy Good
  • 5 years ago

    I didn't make cold weather food for my breakfast. I was in a hurry so fried an egg and ate it over rice with soy sauce. It's 27 here right now with snow on the ground.

    lucillle thanked Kathsgrdn
  • 5 years ago

    It was wet and cold most of today. Turkey stone soup time. Turkey bones, and scraps, leftover gravy, couple pieces of ham, 2 huge carrots, celery with tops, big onion put whole into pot, salt and pepper. Simmered and skimmed - all the foamy stuff is removed - so it was clear after 4 hours. All parts and pieces of turkey and other meats are strained before serving. Wantons made with cooked meat from freezer, cabbage, green onions, eggs, chopped and folded into wanton skins from market. Soup was dark, clear and delicious. Extra wantons were coated with some Pam spray and baked in 425 degree oven till brown and crunchy and served with dipping sauce, catsup, soy sauce, other Asian flavors and severed at room temp with hot wantons. It is about 36 degrees here tonight. Fiddly dinner but worth every minute.

    lucillle thanked ophoenix
  • 5 years ago

    It is in the low 20's this morning and snow on the ground. I like several homemade soups when it is cold. Cream of potato, chili soup, beef vegetable soup, and chicken noodle soup. Or chicken and noodles with a pile of mashed potatoes too.

    Sue

    lucillle thanked Marilyn Sue
  • 5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    I just finished assembling a crockpot of chili. I took the easy way this time since I am technically 'at work' and had to finish up before a meeting started.

    2 lb. browned hamburger (from our herd of Herefords)

    1 chopped and sauteed white onion

    2 cans diced tomatoes ( I usually chop up a few frozen garden tomatoes)

    1 can medium chili beans

    1/4 C pickle juice

    1/2 C water

    1.5 packages of Williams chili seasoning (so far, may add more after tasting later. Maybe some home made garlic powder too).

    Top with shredded cheese and oyster crackers, Fritos, or both.

    I will make some corn bread later


    lucillle thanked LoneJack Zn 6a, KC
  • 5 years ago

    It's not exactly cold here....but not all that warm either. I think I will make tomato bisque today and some garlic-parmesan croutons. And I have a yearning for old fashioned gingerbread served warm with whipped cream :-) It just seems to go with the season!

    lucillle thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)