Beat the January Winter Blues With Quick and Easy, Hearty Meals
By RedElf
After the fun and indulgences of the holiday season, January has a habit of bringing us sharply back to reality. In northern climates, that means the reality that winter is still with us. Cold, snow, and sleet will linger for at least a few more weeks, and, for some of us, a few more months.
That means after the rosy glow of Christmas finally begins to dim, parents everywhere are faced with the prospect of hunkering down 'til spring comes again. Cold toes and fingers, drying socks and mittens, layer upon layer of sweaters, coats, and scarves, and endless shoveling of sidewalk, stoop, and driveway... ah, yes! The joys of winter!
Those other, truer joys still beckon though: the ski run, the toboggan hill, long walks in the snow with kids and dogs. It's a time of year that challenges us to provide quick, healthful, and hearty meals - meals that are tasty, kid-friendly, and, most of all, mom-friendly.
Chicken Stew and Cheese Biscuits
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Quick and Hearty Family Meals
One of my favorite quick and hearty meals is stew. It doesn't seem to matter how cold and tired you are - nothing perks you up like a bowl of hot, healthful stew, brimming with savory broth, and chock full of delicious vegetables.
Stew is so forgiving and easy to make. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand, and add or subtract ingredients to give your stew an entirely different flavor every time.
You can make any stew more healthful with the addition of legumes. I like to add lentils, chick peas, or even pinto beans for added color and heart-healthy fiber.
Always start with the freshest ingredients, though, for a delicious meal the whole family will enjoy.
The quick and hearty stew pictured on the right features yellow-fleshed potatoes, a favorite of ours, along with yellow and orange bell peppers, juicy chunks of chicken, and diced onion in a rich chicken broth, but white potatoes are equally delicious.
Sometimes, I add diced turnip while the potatoes are cooking, along with several coarsely chopped, seeded tomatoes, some celery chunks, and finely chopped dill for a more traditional flavor.
Savory Chicken Stew
Ingredients:
- 2 lb chicken, boned and skinless, cut in bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine
- 2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
- 1 yellow and 1 orange pepper, cleaned and seeded, cut in large chunks
- 1 can lentils, drained plus 1 can water (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 4 potatoes, cubed or chunked
- 2Tbsp grape seed oil
- 1 Tbsp Montreal Chicken Spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 2 cups chicken stock
Method:
- Heat oil in pan
- Brown chicken and onions in hot oil
- Add seasonings and cook until onions are clear
- Add peppers, and simmer until peppers are tender
- Add lentils, liquid and chicken stock and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring often so lentils don't stick
- Add potatoes and cook over medium heat until potatoes are done (fork-tender)
- Serve hot with biscuits or fresh bread
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Quick and Convenient
This also works well in a slow cooker. You can prepare the ingredients the night before, and then assemble them in the slow cooker in the morning. A tasty meal will be waiting for you when you arrive home from work.
Slow Cooker Method:
- Coarsely chop ingredients
- Add everything except lentils to the slow cooker and stir
- Simmer for 6 - 8 hours
- Add lentils and raise heat to HI
- Serve when heated through
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Cheese Biscuits
Also known as baking powder biscuits, or, at our house, as bannocks, these yummy biscuits are as quick and easy to make as they are delicious. The only real trick to feathery, light biscuits, is to remember to handle them with care after you add the liquid. Over-handling them at that point will result in tough biscuits.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour
- 20 ml baking powder
- 2 ml salt (about 1/2 tsp)
- 1/2 cup lard
- 175 ml milk + 3 Tbsp
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
Method:
- Measure flour into mixing bowl
- Add baking powder and salt
- Add cheese and toss with a fork until all the cheese is well-coated with flour
- Add lard and cut in with two knives or a pastry blender to the size of pea-meal (fine meal)
- Make a well in the center and pour in milk
- Toss gently until just mixed - dough should form a soft ball
- Add a bit more milk if needed, taking care to not over-work the dough
- Place dough on floured board and roll out
- Cut into biscuits and bake at 425 F for about 12 - 15 minutes or until lightly golden on top
Bon Appetit
© 2011 Elle Fredine, All rights reserved
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I love meals like this in the winter. Warms you right up. Both your recipes sound really good and will try them soon.
I have the same dishes as you, in green :)
Looks good to me. I woke up cold this morning.
oooh...gonna try those cheese biscuits! My girls love those garlicky cheese biscuits at Red Lobster but to-date I have not been able to recreate them. Will try dabbling with your recipe. :)
These sound delicious. Thanks for the recipes.
GoodLady, thanks so much. This is probably the best biscuit recipe I've ever used. Hope you enjoy it, too.
Thanks, JAS! I have a couple of neat variations on it I'll be posting later. Enjoy! Too cool we have the same dishes!
Stew and biscuits are always great on a cold day, P7!
Allana, be sure to post your recipe once you get it nailed. We love them, too!
Flora, you are most welcome. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Yum! This looks so good that I have bookmarked it to try this week. I love making soups and stews. Thanks!
This looks absolutely yummy!!
There is nothing quite like a stew on a cold winters day and I am always ready to try a new recipe so thank you for sharing this one.
Presently, in the southern hemisphere we are in the middle of summer but next winter I'll make this stew before any others.
Yum - I'm sure my family would love this hearty comfort food. Bookmarking right now. Stay warm! :) Steph
I agree chicken stew can pick up anybody, at any time. Your chicken stew looks yummy. Rated up.
Thanks fro the bookmark, tlpoague, and I hope you enjoy the meal! It's one of our favs.
Enelle, thanks - I'm not a pro food photographer by a long stretch, but I find I am getting better at it with each hub!
Lady Lyell, you'll have to pop by for my chicken chili recipe then.
Thanks, stephhicks - you stay warm, too!
anglnwu, we love inventing new variations on this old favorite. Thanks for the rate up!
I love stew and this sounds just great. Thank you.
The stew sounds and looks delicious and I was glad to see the slow cooker directions. Nothing better than being out in the cold and smelling some great home cooking when you get back to the house!
The biscuits also look great but I know I wouldn't be able to stop eating them after just one. Will wait till company comes to cook them.
Thanks for sharing these great recipes.
Friend Hh, thanks so much fro stopping by to comment - hope you give the stew a try!
Happyboomernurse, I sometimes add about 1 - 1 1/2 tsp of dill, parsley, summer savory and sage - makes a wonderful accompaniment to cold chicken or turkey. Hope you enjoy!
Thanks for the additional tips. It's always nice to know how to mix things up a little.
Mmmm--Campbell's got the slogan right anyway--mmm, mmm good. I'm looking forward to finding and trying the Montreal seasoning. Thanks!
Your description of winter with children makes me glad that mine were little in Florida! :)
Those cheese biscuits sounds wonderful and the stew will be great to serve my family. This dish will warm them up on our cold Swedish winter days.
Thank you for sharing.
Best wishes,
Sannel
You are most welcome, Happyboomernurse! Those are the best biscuits ever!
Thanks so much, RTalloni! I hope you can get it where you are, as it really makes all the difference to the flavor!
We love a hot, hearty stew on a cold day, SanneL - almost as much as staying cozy by the fire!
A hot stew with biscuits is always a comfort food for us.
Thanks for sharing RedElf and take care. :)
Regards,
Angel
Thanks so much, Angel! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Mmm Mmm Mmmm...that chicken stew looks yummy! Thank you for the great dinner idea... I'll have to share this with my daughter LoveChanges cuz she loves to cook.
Thank you very much, a mothersLove! I hope your daughter likes the recipe as well! Welcome to HubPages.
Can I come to your house for dinner? I love stew and I love your recipies. Oh, those cheese biscuits have my mouth watering too.
My thanks to you for sharing this and am salivating over your photo. Up, Up and away!
vocalcoach~
Come anytime, vocalcoach - the coffee's always on, and we can always add an extra potato to the pot :D!
I love new recipes and am definitely bookmarking this one. Thank you.
acaetnna, thanks for the bookmark :D always a pleasure when you stop by.
GoodLady 5 months ago
Just a great hub. I'm going to make those biscuits tomorrow, thanks!
Winter is starting here, windy and cold; the fire's going and stew is just the perfect meal. Mmmmmm Thanks!