Cold-Weather

A great chili should be richly spiced, with layers of deep, savory flavor. Here, that big flavor comes from the usual contenders, but also from the unexpected additions of unsweetened cocoa, soy sauce and Worcestershire, which provide complexity. This recipe makes a thick, comforting chili that can be prepared in a slow cooker or in a Dutch oven on the stovetop. Chili is perhaps the ideal slow-cooker dish because its flavor improves with a long, slow simmer. This makes a big batch, perfect for a cold-weather get-together, but if you’re making it for a smaller group, the leftovers freeze well.

This creamy Alfredo lasagna soup combines the comforting flavors of lasagna in a rich, velvety soup. With savory Italian sausage or ground chicken, tender lasagna noodles, and a cheesy Alfredo-style broth, it’s the ultimate cold-weather comfort food.

When the cold weather sets in, there's nothing quite like a steaming, creamy soup to warm you up from the inside out. One that's loaded with tender bites of sausage, fresh vegetables, and pillowy tortellini? Well, that's the kind of cold-weather comfort food dreams are made of.

Move those hot cocoa packets aside, this hot chocolate with chocolate chips is a delicious cold-weather treat that's just as easy to make!

This lentil soup is hearty, healthy, and loaded with roasted tomatoes, mirepoix vegetables, and delicious Mediterranean flavors. The perfect cold-weather meal!

There are almost as many explanations for the origins of pasta puttanesca as there are ways to make it. Ostensibly a sauce invented and made by prostitutes, it was designed to lure customers with its powerful aroma. Whatever the origin, no better cold-weather pasta sauce has come down to us. Puttanesca can be made completely with ingredients from the larder; in fact, it can be prepared entirely without ingredients that require refrigeration, though a bit of a fresh herb at the end does help. The basis is a garlicky tomato sauce; canned tomatoes are preferable here. This is brought to a high level of flavor by the addition of anchovies, capers and olives. Red pepper flakes make things even better. The whole process is ridiculously easy.

This is a cold-weather twist on the classic Italian summer salad. Parsnips, sweet potatoes, and beets are tossed in a delicious maple brown butter dressing. It's the ultimate make-ahead side for Thanksgiving.