Bite by Bite
Conquering My Culinary Bucket List One Dish at a Time

No shortage of ideas for cold weather food

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Winter Storm Enzo was a nice little break that I think served to remind us to slow down, be mindful and enjoy the magical moments. Our own yard and neighborhood – in fact, our whole town – looked like a winter wonderland one only sees on postcards or in the movies.

We made several trips to the grocery store in the days leading up to it, knowing that we wanted an abundance of “stick-to-your-ribs” comfort food to keep us warm and satisfied for the duration.

Hubby made turkey chili and a beef stew with potatoes, carrots and onions. I made short rib onion soup, King Ranch chicken and roasted a variety of vegetables to pair with brown rice for some healthy grain bowls. For me, breakfast and snacks were either avocado toast with everything bagel seasoning or Greek yogurt parfaits with strawberries, blueberries, honey and chopped almonds.

For curiosity's sake (and to get a quick and easy column), I went to Facebook and inquired what everyone was cooking and eating during the winter storm. Close to 40 people responded and let me just say … I don’t think anyone went hungry. It was fun seeing what everybody was cooking and several of us even acquired new recipes through the process.

Chili, gumbo, soups, stews and pot roast seemed to be the most popular choices, although there were many other suggestions as well and they all sounded wonderful.

One person made venison/beef and twice baked potato soup and shared an excellent tip. Since it’s just her and her hubby, she breaks the big soup pot down to couples’ portions and freezes them for quick future meals that they can just pull out, thaw and eat. She added that he would be making his “famously delicious” French onion soup which is one of her faves.

“Does this morning’s hot chocolate count as making something?” one friend asked, mentioning that she’d put a roast in the Crock Pot.

One person had pizza rolls and chicken fried steak. One had King Ranch chicken with sauteed zucchini and corn. Another had broiled pork steaks, salad with homemade ranch and garlic roasted Brussels sprouts, with plans to make chili.

One friend picked up roasted poblano soup from Katie’s Cafe & Bakery. I’ve had that several times and can definitely vouch for how good it is.

Another person fixed baked potato soup, cream of broccoli soup, a rice broccoli and pulled pork casserole, coleslaw, fruit salad, Rhodes yeast rolls and a holiday rub chicken dish prepared with tenders, heavy cream, Gruyère cheese and noodles. And if that wasn’t enough, she added that her daughter-in-law shared some chicken spaghetti and taco soup as well.

Taco soup, gumbo, beans and cornbread, soups and stews were on the menu at one friend’s house, while another enjoyed goulash, beef stew and smothered pork chops and another made stuffed chicken breasts and chicken and rice.

One person made gumbo, beef stew, charro beans with meat, chili, cheesy jalapeno cornbread and cookies, adding that they also had chicken alfredo in the freezer.

One couple enjoyed chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes, beans and biscuits, while another enjoyed Crock Pot beef pot roast with potatoes and carrots and another had venison chili and cornbread.

Chicken and shrimp gumbo, deer chili and beef roast with potatoes and carrots were the meals of choice at one residence, with pinto beans and cornbread, creamy potato soup in the Crock Pot at another. One household made pizza in their pizza oven, while another made beef stew, chili, cornbread, blueberry pancakes, sausage balls and pork chops.

One friend made sausage and chicken gumbo and stuffed peppers in the air fryer. Another made red beans with rice and cheddar bay biscuits, cowboy soup and honey cornbread swirl and seven-grain toast with chunky egg salad and avocado slices.

One household enjoyed beef stroganoff soup with toasted sourdough, lasagna soup in the slow cooker, Thai fried rice and turkey taco chili mac with a pan of cornbread, while another enjoyed roast with potatoes, carrots, onions and gravy. Two of my friends made vegetable soup with venison and cornbread.

One made chicken, sausage and shrimp gumbo and another made homemade pizzas, chili and homemade jalapeno cheddar bread.

One friend made venison chili, commenting that the “day after” version is delish. Chuckling, I couldn’t help but agree with him, commenting that a lot of things are better the second day.

Other selections included shepherd’s pie, baked potato soup with sour cream and cheese, cowboy soup, venison chili, homemade chicken pot pie, chicken and dumplings, taco soup and nachos.

Everyone’s meals sounded wonderful and if nothing else, then I think we have lots of ideas and suggestions for when Mother Nature arrives with the next cold snap. And you know she will. It’s just a matter of time.