Made a big pan of my lasagna for yesterday. Unfortunately we had some sick family members, so the lasagna’s holding in the freezer for Christmas Part II this weekend.

Tonight is stroganoff.

I roasted a duck yesterday and it was delicious.

Now trying to figure out what to do with the leftovers.

I made split pea soup on Saturday, although instead of a ham bone, sausage, or bacon, I used leftover turkey stock and also added mushrooms (that needed to be used up). Seasoned with my fav Zanzibar curry mix - when used lightly it isn't hot, but really adds a nice pop to the flavor without being obvious.

I just put the ingredients I need for veggie beef soup on my shopping list so I will be making that soon. I made chicken and noodles Friday and crock pot roast with carrots and potatoes Christmas eve.

I have the ingredients for clam chowder on hand and we haven't had any yet this winter. Beef chili and chicken chili are on my want list as well.

Cindy 7, make duck hash! I‘ve made it with both red bliss and sweet potatoes, and when using red bliss, swing it savory, and fry the potatoes with duck fat if you have any, and add lightly caramelized or pickled red onions, roasted or sauteed red peppers cut into small dice and whatever else is lying around the fridge. With sweet potatoes we used maple syrup, pecans, caramelized onions and topped it with fresh mango salsa (mango, cilantro, red onion and lime), and some peppered bacon crumbled on top. Both make a great brunch or dinner after a roast duck.

Have an unexpected house guest, who needed a place to stay for about a month. So, we went grocery shopping Saturday and I made a lasagna since I had to work on Xmas day and thought it would be a fairly decent dinner.

There’s pumpernickel bread baking in the oven and a pot of lentil soup on the stove. The latter is more like a stew since it’s loaded with with chopped veggies and kale. Some of the bread will be used to make croutons…pumpernickel is so good with lentil and pea soups, I think.

I am very slowly making pignoli cookies.

I'm so glad I made a big pot of chicken soup and corn chowder before I got sick. They are so soothing and make you feel good (if only temporarily).. That's about all I ate this past week. Other cold weather go to is a big pot of chili.

Cindy 7, I recommend making duck tamales, if you have saved the duck fat. You can use the duck fat in the masa (instead of lard), and the tamales will have a wonderful flavor.

I made a potato soup that has run its course appeal-wise, so I tossed in broccoli and cheddar. It'll go a little farther now.

Kiddo and I want crab, so that's what we'll eat tomorrow. Can't wait until NYE.

LynnNM, that is an absolutely gorgeous soup tureen!

I made a pork loin roulade with spinach and stuffing mix; uh, it disappeared. The youngest said it was the best 'chicken' she ever had. Also love potato soup. Made some of Annie's coleslaw, some parker house rolls, and of course, Glenda's pineapple casserole with Ritz crackers atop.

I've mainly been cooking to accommodate SO. I am working a lot of overtime so I try to make cozy food that will have leftovers so he will have something for a few days.

First, cottage pie.

Brunswick stew. Or a variation of it. This is something he LOVES but I hate, so I make it for him when I am working so I do not have to be subjected to it. It has 3 kinds of meat and some veggies. What he doesn't eat over a couple days I freeze in portions for him to heat up later.

I will not take credit for this. My sister made it. Broccoli cheese soup. However, it was made with MY broccoli. I had 12 large heads of regular green and 6 of the lovely purple variety in my garden that I had to harvest before the freeze. I gave her half of it. This is what she did with some of it. I made roasted garlic parmesan broccoli with the ones I kept and served it with chicken parm and pasta alfredo.

I made broccoli cauliflower cheddar soup with diced ham last week and I just ate the last bowlful for supper tonight. So good. I only had beef broth so the colour is off a bit. I used more vegetables than broth. After I pureed it I add cream cheese, sour cream, splash of heavy cream, a cup of 3 shredded cheddars and the ham. So thick and stick to your ribs soup perfect for the snowy windy days last week.

Lynn, that tureen ... wow! From the gorgeous shape to the beautiful decoration, it is truly magnificent.

I make a lot of soups as well. Making barley beef with leftovers from rib roast. And I only make polenta in the winter, so that has been on heavy rotation lately.

The guys grilled our Christmas steaks Sunday. It was -6. Son said smoking meat when it's below zero is not worth the inconsistencies in temperatures!! Today we will have potato soup with Kielbasa. DELISH!! Another favorite stuffed pepper soup.

My son is home from Uni for a month and has requested that I teach him to make better soup, so that’s what we’ll be doing. Last night we made a thick potato, carrot carrot, cabbage stew that we seasoned with mustard and a smidge of curry, it came out fabulously. Tonight will be cornbread, polenta or spoonbread, (havent decided which yet) with braised kale.

I really, really want to try Lynn’s posole someday!

We enjoy various soups here, too, in cold weather.

Looking forward to some winter comfort food this weekend — mustard/brown sugar ham steaks, a simmering pot of seasoned black-eyed peas, cabbage, and cornbread.

Soups, casseroles, things in the oven a lot. Yesterday was borcht, skillet potato kugel, toasted garlic bread with dill havarti, and deviled eggs. Christmas day was cabbage, potatoes, carrots, and kielbasa bake. Christmas eve was shrimp etouffee over cheesy polenta, roasted garlic bread, and a sweet potato pie. The garlic bread I baked for Christmas was the bread I finished off making the toasts for dinner last night.

Crockpot gets used a lot, and the instant pot. If I got stuff to dehydrate or canning to pull out of the freezer, I like to do it this time of year if I can. Today I'm cooking up some royal corona beans and chick peas since I'm out of both in the freezer. Probably a packet of soup from the freezer for dinner, not sure what yet.

Also made Potato broccoli soup replete with a brick of cream cheese that we enjoyed immensely. Cubed up six russets and added some veg soup flavor mix and a bag of broccoli .... hit the spot on the -39 windchill day

All those soups sound so very yummy. I went the opposite direction, sort of. I'm making Chinese Lion's Head Meatballs on savoy cabbage with clear broth. If you've never made this plan on a bit of prep but the result is melt in your mouth heavenly. Ground pork, tofu, water chestnuts, scallions, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, ginger, dry sherry, soy sauce, cayenne, sugar, cornstarch, sesame oil, egg, chicken broth, and a big pile of savoy cabbage (or Napa) in the broth with a drizzle of hot chili oil to garnish. Don't need any side dishes, maybe a few pieces of chewy bread to sop. I made 6 giants, we'll eat three and freeze the rest for a day when it's microwave time.

Chef John's Chinese Lions Head Meatballs

“I swear that gal, Tieghan Gerard, is going to be the next Julia Child. She's brilliant!”

Agree!👍🏻

Lars - Thanks for the suggestions. And I did save the duck fat. Hope to try the tamales tomorrow. This will probably be the last duck I roast as there are just too many tiny bones. The store only had whole ducks when there, no duck breasts.

I refuse to compromise. When it is cold, you need fire.

I enjoy a good outdoor BBQ in the deep winter. Sometimes with the gas grill, and sometimes using the firepit. No flying insects to deal with this time of the year.

When it's too windy, I use the little Yakitori charcoal grill and do a Japanese indoor grilling or a Chinese hot pot in the greenhouse.

dcarch

I made shrimp and andouille sausage gumbo tonight. Also some greens (canned, but doctored up a bit). Excellent comfort food. I’ll probably do big crock pot of chili this weekend.

Spaghetti, lasagna, chili (all made with ground turkey or hot Italian turkey sausage), lots of soups, pot roast, chicken & dumplings, beef & Guinness stew. Those are all pretty heavy with the exception of most of the soups so interspersed are a variety of baked fish dishes with lots of veggies - squash, sweet potatoes. brussels, green beans, broccoli, peas, etc. and a light rice or pasta dish on the side.

Just wanted to share a fun winter appetizer I served at a party the other night. It was a huge hit.

Persimmon Goat Cheese Crostini

https://www.kitchenathoskins.com/persimmon-goat-cheese-walnut-crostini/

Persimmon season is fall through early winter. I am (unfortunately) forced to eat gluten free but found some pretty decent frozen gluten free baguettes, but these would be great with any baguette. It's not exactly warming like a soup or a stew, but festive and fun if you are looking to serve something at a winter party.

I think the recipe has missed one very important piece of information:

The persimmon must be of a non- astringent kind, such as fuyu variety, otherwise it will taste horrible.

dcarch

The recipe did specifically point out to use fuyu under the tips. Are fuyu and fugu different varieties?

beesneeds, thanks. My mistake. Should be fuyu. Typed too fast in back of moving car with big fingers. I made correction.

Still, I think the importance should be emphasized and a picture showing the two types of persimmons. When you go to a store, they don't always tell you which is which, and many people do not know.

dcarch

The recipe calls out in the Expert Tips and Notes section to use fuyu variety persmissions. However, I agree that it would be helpful to show a picture of the difference.

Here is a very good tip about eating astringent persimmons:

"Eat when they are soft" is not good enough. They are still going to give you that uncomfortable feeling in your mouth after eating. It takes weeks for them to get soft and very soft. They need to get to be EXTREMELY soft before the astringent chemical goes away.

Who wants to wait that long? That's why people don't buy them and stores don't sell them often. Here is what you can do; when they are in the soft stage, put them in the freezer overnight, thaw next day, and enjoy.

dcarch

My fuyu tree had a few hundred fruits this past season. Besides fresh eating, also did a few baked persimmons recipes. They are very good.

dcarch

"I refuse to compromise. When it is cold, you need fire."

Is coconut chili crab "fire"?

😉

I've got a 11.5 lb. turkey in the oven right now. Part of it will be sliced and taken to a Chiefs game watch party tomorrow for sandwiches. Most of the remaining will be sliced and then cubed for turkey pot pie filling. The recipe I use makes enough filling for 2+ 9" pies and I'm going to double it which should give me enough for 5 pot pies. I'll cook one pie for tonight's dinner and freeze the rest in quart zip locks.

I've used several different pot pie filling recipes but we like this one the best. I add a couple cups of cubed par boiled potatoes.

Dad's leftover turkey pot pie.

"rob333

--- Is coconut chili crab "fire"? "

Absolutely. It will keep you warm from inside out for sure, especially consumed with "fire water".

dcarch

I did an easy ground beef casserole.

layered ground beef, sliced potatoes, corn and carrots topped with homemade cream of chicken. put it in a slow oven 250 for a couple hours in a covered dish

Dcarch, my grandmother had a persimmon tree, and I recall them getting mushy fast. But they were very good for snacking.

The kids are still home from college, and it's become the only time I have bacon in the house. I made it for them yesterday for breakfast. I saved the grease, and will be making a bean and vegetable soup with it today. I only have about a tablespoon of the bacon grease, but it will be enough to impart some flavor.