Winter family gatherings are, in Holiday words, very jolly. However, for the host of the gathering, things may take an unexpected turn when faced with the most important question – namely, what’s on the table this evening? At that very moment, you shouldn’t waste any time thinking of recipes or panicking – as you should already be on your way to the kitchen and start cooking! Naturally, the rest of your family will probably help you, but this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t have a plan! Therefore, in today’s article, we thought of presenting some of the best winter recipes that are perfect for family gatherings!
Even though this particular dish has a bit of wine in it – for a proper flavor – it can still be served to children, don’t worry. This is because the alcohol burns off when the wine is simmered – all of this while it adds depth to sauces. Thus, you can easily cook a chicken pot-roast, a dish known for its moisture and abundance of flavor. On top of that, it requires no gravy as the juices resulted from cooking are enough.
Naturally, soup is perfect during winter, especially if the weather is a bit chilly and you’ve just got back home after a session of ice skating or building snowmen. This particular recipe adds pasta to the classic tomato soup, making it even tastier, as it brings back memories of flavored noodles. On the other hand, if you want something more serious, you can add aromatic basil and parmesan shavings to the soup.
If you’re kind of busy during your family gathering, you can take it down a notch and rely on a chicken casserole to save the day – or, better said, the dinner. This type of slow-cooker meal also ensures the food on the table after long days of work. On top of that, you need only carrots, potatoes, and some chicken – besides spices and all that – to cook this. With only five minutes of preparation, this type of dish can fill the bellies of many siblings and relatives!
Believe it or not, sausages can be served in a different way – and, for this particular occasion, we think that they work best with a plate of butterbean stew. However, if such a stew seems too simple for you, you can opt for either chorizo or chipolatas – as both work just fine with sausages. If you have a diverse family, you could simply cook stew, chorizo, and chipolatas – as it doesn’t take a lot of time!
Obviously, winter and family gatherings call for large pots of a singular dish or pies made with meat or just from veggies. As such, you can approach this particular take on the British favorite. All you need is sweet potatoes, Collard greens, as well as some fiery spices to add a Southern feel to the entire plate.
You can work around the classic lasagna recipe that you usually cook at home in various ways – after all, there are more types of lasagna out there than we can probably count! The Tex-Mex one implies the use of corn, beans, salsa, and chili powder, mainly to give the lasagna a southwestern appeal. As a trick, you can use no-boil lasagna noodles in order to speed up the preparation time.
Even if you shouldn’t rely on mac and cheese for a family gathering, this particular recipe can be a lifesaver if you have some picky eaters around your table. Start with simple baked mac and cheese and then add carrots and cauliflower in the cheese sauce. Few will tell the difference, but many will agree that it is tasty!
Naturally, keep in mind that a family gathering can’t be satisfied with a single dish! Therefore, Cabinet Set LLC professionals suggest you to choose at least two of the above when considering what to cook. To avoid the complaints of picky eaters, the recommendation would be to opt for a light meal as well as for a heavy one. For example, you can start the evening with tomato soup with pasta and then fill your guests up with a shepherd’s pie or a delicious slice of lasagna!