Favorite Winter Recipes

Here are some favorite recipes for the cold, dark days of winter from The Messy Apron archives.

Beef and Guinness Potpie
This luxurious beef stew is capped by a golden slab of puff pastry. You may not need a particular season to enjoy this dish, but it provides comfort in the coldest, darkest days.

Bourbon  Vanilla Pumpkin Pie
I see no reason not to enjoy pumpkin pie all winter long, and this delicious version will make the winter days deliciously sweet.

Creamy Cabbage and Potato Soup
Cabbage and potatoes may be thought of as simple sustenance foods, but they get a delicious update the addition of caraway, coriander seed and cream cheese in this soup. I can’t eat just one bowl!

Gingerbread Granola
I change up my regular Granola recipe to give it some seasonal flair by adding molasses, ginger and cloves. It may just give you just enough gingerbread flavor to provide a healthier alternative to all those holiday treats. Perhaps that is too much to ask.

Pasta with Squash Puree and Blue Cheese Sauce
Winter squash and blue cheese was a flavor combination that surprised me. Now, I’m hooked and make some form of this dish a few times every year. It’s a great use of Winter Squash Puree.

Potato and Celeriac Casserole with Baked Eggs
Like a Rösti (a thick potato pancake) but even easier, this flavorful combination of shredded celeriac (celery root) and potato is hearty and satisfying. Baking eggs in indentations on top of the casserole makes each serving into a main dish.

Quinoa Stuffed Squash
Very small, very sweet squash, such as small acorn, carnival and sweet dumpling, are just perfect for this sweet-savory quinoa stuffing. If you don’t have or don’t do squash, however, the stuffing is a delicious side dish by itself.


Roasted Cauliflower, Chickpeas and Olives
Toasty roasted cauliflower and chewy roasted chickpeas get a punch-up with green olives, garlic, and a splash of lemon juice.



Roasted Vegetables and Roasted Vegetables with Sausage
So easy and so delicious. The sugars in fall and winter vegetables caramelize under high heat to create whole new flavors. Roasted vegetables make a perfect side dish with just about anything you might serve in the cold months and they’re great in this salad. Just add sausage to the roasting pan to make a one-pan main dish.

Spaetzle with Cabbage, Bacon and Onions
Comfort food, pure and simple. Plenty of cabbage, vinegar, caraway and caramelized onions to nestle into noodles. And on top of it all, there’s bacon. Any leftovers of this dish don’t last long in this home.

Winter Squash Risotto
Warm and comforting risotto puts on winter clothes with the addition of sweet roasted squash puree.