Top Five Foodie Reasons to Love Winter

Freezing temperatures have returned to the coastal plains of Texas. A rather strange twist, considering I just saw my first bluebonnets on Friday.

But since I appreciate the cold weather, and wither at the thought of summer being just on the horizon, I thought I would celebrate some of my favorite cold weather dishes. Simply click on the names for the recipes.

At the top of my cold-weather comfort food list would be Chicken and Dumplings.

My girls' great grandmother shared this recipe with me when I was a young bride. Not only was it the first homemade chicken and dumplings I'd ever had, it was the first time I'd had dumplings that weren't giant Bisquick biscuits. It was love at first bite. Ever since then, it's been my first go-to whenever cold weather sets in.

Next on my list would be Loaded Baked Potato Soup.

I think this picture pretty much says it all.

Number three has to be good old fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup.

Loaded with chicken and veggies, not to mention legendary healing properties, this soup is a delicious treat on any cold day.

Another chart-topper would be Beef Stew.

This is a sorry picture, but the meal is to die for. A bowl of hot beef stew with a slice (or two) of fresh-baked bread... That's the stuff dreams are made of.

Last, but definitely not least, is Southwest Chicken Soup.

This soup is not only flavorful, it's a crockpot meal, meaning you can toss everything together in the morning and work or play right up until dinnertime. 

As I said at the beginning of my post, we are having a late-winter freeze here in Texas. The good thing is that it never lasts for long. We'll be back in the 70s by this weekend and next week we're planning to plant our spring flowers. I know that's hard to imagine when you're still looking at piles of snow. But spring will come.

In the meantime, what are some of your favorite cold-weather meals?

Three-time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, the youngest of her five children and two dogs. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. When she's not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com.