#coldnightdinner

This honey garlic chicken is a tasty and sweet dinner that's great for a cold night. It's very easy and convenient because the slow cooker does all the work.

Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts. 1/2 cup honey. 1/4 cup soy sauce. 1/4 cup ketchup. 2 cloves garlic, minced. 1 teaspoon dried basil. 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano. 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Salt and pepper to taste. 2 tablespoons cornstarch. 2 tablespoons water. Sesame seeds and chopped green onions for garnish.

Instructions: Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker. In a bowl, mix together honey, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Pour over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours, until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir into the sauce in the slow cooker. Return shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir to coat with the sauce. Cover and cook on high for an additional 30 minutes, until sauce has thickened. Serve over rice or noodles, garnished with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 240 minutes

This vegetable soup is hearty and warm, perfect for cold nights. When you mix acorn squash and butternut squash, you get a rich, velvety texture. Aromatic spices give the flavor more depth.

Ingredients: 1 medium acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and diced. 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced. 1 large onion, chopped. 2 carrots, peeled and chopped. 2 celery stalks, chopped. 3 cloves garlic, minced. 4 cups vegetable broth. 1 teaspoon dried thyme. 1 teaspoon ground cumin. Salt and pepper to taste. 2 tablespoons olive oil. 1/2 cup heavy cream optional, for extra creaminess. Fresh parsley for garnish.

Instructions: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Saut until vegetables are softened. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Stir in diced acorn and butternut squash, thyme, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pour in vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until squash is tender. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Alternatively, transfer the soup in batches to a blender. If using heavy cream, stir it into the soup for added creaminess. Adjust seasoning if needed and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley. Enjoy your comforting Acorn and Butternut Squash Soup!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

This Slow Cooker Italian Meatball Stew is a hearty and tasty meal that is great for a cold night. In a rich tomato broth, it has Italian sausage, meatballs, vegetables, and herbs.

Ingredients: 1 lb Italian sausage. 1 lb frozen meatballs. 1 onion, diced. 3 cloves garlic, minced. 2 carrots, sliced. 2 stalks celery, sliced. 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes. 1 can 8 oz tomato sauce. 4 cups beef broth. 1 teaspoon dried basil. 1 teaspoon dried oregano. 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme. Salt and pepper to taste. 1 cup small pasta such as ditalini or small shells. 1 cup frozen peas. Grated Parmesan cheese for serving.

Instructions: The Italian sausage should be cooked in a pan until it turns brown. Get rid of extra fat. In a slow cooker, add the diced onion, minced garlic, sliced carrots, sliced celery, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, salt, pepper, dried basil, dried oregano, and dried thyme. Put the lid on top and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Add the pasta and frozen peas thirty minutes before you serve. Keep cooking until the pasta is soft. Put grated Parmesan cheese on top and serve hot.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 360 minutes

This Lemony Lentil Soup is a comforting and nutritious dish that is perfect for a cozy meal. The slow cooker method allows the flavors to meld together beautifully, resulting in a satisfying soup that is bursting with fresh lemony goodness.

Ingredients: 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed. 1 onion, diced. 2 carrots, diced. 2 celery stalks, diced. 4 cups vegetable broth. 1 can 14.5 oz diced tomatoes. 3 cloves garlic, minced. 2 teaspoons dried thyme. 1 teaspoon dried oregano. 1 teaspoon ground cumin. Salt and pepper to taste. Juice of 2 lemons. 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish.

Instructions: Place all ingredients except lemon juice and parsley in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until lentils and vegetables are tender. Stir in lemon juice. Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 360 minutes

A hearty and flavorful pumpkin and black bean chili that combines the earthiness of black beans with the sweetness of pumpkin. Perfect for a cozy dinner on a chilly evening.

Ingredients: 1 can 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed. 2 cups pumpkin puree. 1 can 14 oz diced tomatoes. 1 cup vegetable broth. 1 onion, chopped. 2 cloves garlic, minced. 1 red bell pepper, diced. 1 jalapeo, seeded and minced. 1 tablespoon chili powder. 1 teaspoon cumin. 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Salt and pepper to taste. 2 tablespoons olive oil. Fresh cilantro for garnish. Sour cream for serving. Shredded cheddar cheese for topping.

Instructions: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, red bell pepper, and jalapeo. Saut until vegetables are softened. Stir in chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add black beans, pumpkin puree, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let the chili simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning if needed and serve hot. Garnish with fresh cilantro and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Add a dollop of sour cream if desired.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

A hearty and flavorful pumpkin and black bean chili that combines the earthiness of black beans with the sweetness of pumpkin. Perfect for a cozy dinner on a chilly evening.

Ingredients: 1 can 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed. 2 cups pumpkin puree. 1 can 14 oz diced tomatoes. 1 cup vegetable broth. 1 onion, chopped. 2 cloves garlic, minced. 1 red bell pepper, diced. 1 jalapeo, seeded and minced. 1 tablespoon chili powder. 1 teaspoon cumin. 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Salt and pepper to taste. 2 tablespoons olive oil. Fresh cilantro for garnish. Sour cream for serving. Shredded cheddar cheese for topping.

Instructions: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion, garlic, red bell pepper, and jalapeo. Saut until vegetables are softened. Stir in chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add black beans, pumpkin puree, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and let the chili simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning if needed and serve hot. Garnish with fresh cilantro and top with shredded cheddar cheese. Add a dollop of sour cream if desired.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

This hearty beef stew cooked with Cabernet Sauvignon wine is a comforting dish perfect for chilly evenings. The rich flavors of the wine complement the tender beef and aromatic vegetables, creating a delicious meal.

Ingredients: 2 lbs beef stew meat, cubed. 2 tbsp olive oil. 1 onion, chopped. 3 cloves garlic, minced. 2 carrots, sliced. 2 celery stalks, chopped. 1 cup red wine Cabernet Sauvignon. 2 cups beef broth. 1 can diced tomatoes. 1 tsp dried thyme. 1 tsp dried rosemary. Salt and pepper to taste. 2 tbsp all-purpose flour optional, for thickening.

Instructions: Warm up the olive oil in a big pot over medium-high heat. Put in the beef cubes and brown them all over. Take it out of the pot and set it aside. Put onions and garlic in the same pot. Saut until the meat is soft. After you add the carrots and celery, cook for five more minutes. Add red wine to the pot and scrape up any browned food on the bottom. Tomato dices, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper should all be added at this point. Put the beef back in the pot. Turn the heat down to low and cover. Simmer for an hour and a half to two hours, or until the beef is soft. If you want a thicker stew, you can make a slurry by mixing flour with a little water. Add to the stew and let it cook for another 10 minutes. Enjoy while hot!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 120 minutes

Homemade wonton soup is a tasty and comforting Chinese soup that's great for a cold night. The pork and shrimp wontons are served with fresh vegetables in a clear and tasty chicken broth. This dish is healthy, filling, and simple to make at home.

Ingredients: 250g ground pork. 200g peeled and deveined shrimp, chopped. 2 cloves garlic, minced. 1 tablespoon ginger, minced. 2 green onions, finely chopped. 1 tablespoon soy sauce. 1 teaspoon sesame oil. 1 teaspoon cornstarch. 1/4 teaspoon white pepper. 1/4 teaspoon salt. 1 package wonton wrappers about 50 wrappers. 8 cups chicken broth. 2 cups water. 1 cup bok choy, chopped. 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms. 1/4 cup sliced bamboo shoots optional. 1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts optional. 1/4 cup sliced baby corn optional. 1/4 cup sliced carrots optional. Salt and white pepper to taste. Chopped green onions for garnish.

Instructions: Put the ground pork, chopped shrimp, minced garlic, minced ginger, finely chopped green onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, salt, and white pepper in a large bowl. Mix everything together well. A wonton wrapper should be spread out on a clean surface. In the middle of the wrapper, put a teaspoon of the pork and shrimp filling. Spray water on the edges of the wrapper and fold it in half to make a triangle. Make sure there are no air pockets when you press the edges of the wonton to close it up. Do it again with the rest of the filling and wrappers. Bring the water and chicken broth to a boil in a large pot. Add the chopped bok choy, the sliced mushrooms, and any other vegetables you want, like carrots, baby corn, bamboo shoots, or water chestnuts. For about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft, let it simmer. Add the wontons slowly to the broth that is already simmering. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the wontons float to the top and the filling is fully cooked. To taste, add salt and white pepper to the soup. Put chopped green onions on top of the hot homemade wonton soup to serve. Have fun!

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes