Snow days turn into pancakes and hot chocolate fast, and by 3pm nobody in the house has had any protein. I plan the day around 1 big pot instead, a chili or a braise that simmers for hours and feeds everyone twice. The soups come first, then the chilis, braises, casseroles and a few things from the oven. Most of these keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
Soups to start the day
Chicken Noodle Soup
The chicken does the work here, so I use 2 whole bone-in thighs per quart of broth and shred them back into the pot. Egg noodles go in during the last 8 minutes so they stay firm. A squeeze of lemon at the end wakes up a soup that has been sitting on low for hours. Soups with meat keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, and the broth freezes for 2 to 3 months.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Cheddar alone leaves this thin on protein, so my version gets a scoop of cottage cheese blended into the base before the shredded cheese goes in. It melts smooth and nobody can taste the difference. Keep the heat low once the cheese is in or it breaks. Serve it in a mug if the kids are back out in the snow in 10 minutes.
Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
Canned tomatoes, onion, garlic and 1 cup of white beans blended smooth make a tomato soup with more protein than the boxed kind. The grilled cheese is the point for most people at the table. I use sourdough and 2 slices of cheese per sandwich, pressed in a hot pan for about 4 minutes a side. Dunking is expected.
Potato Leek Soup
Leeks sweated in butter, potatoes, broth and a splash of white wine, blended until smooth. On its own this is a side dish in my book, so I top each bowl with crumbled bacon and a spoon of Greek yogurt instead of cream. That brings the protein up without changing the flavor much. It reheats well on the stove with a little extra broth.
Chili 3 ways
Slow Cooker Beef Chili
Brown 2 pounds of ground beef with onion first, then everything goes into the slow cooker for 6 hours on low. I use 90 percent lean beef so the chili is not swimming in fat by dinner. FSIS says to always thaw meat before it goes into a slow cooker, so pull the beef out of the freezer the night before. Cornbread on the side, every time.
Turkey Chili
Ground turkey and 2 cans of beans give this close to the same protein as the beef version with less fat. The trick is seasoning it harder than you think, with a full tablespoon of chili powder and a teaspoon of cumin per pound of meat. I add a spoon of tomato paste for depth. It thickens as it sits, so leftovers on day 2 are better than day 1.
White Bean Chicken Chili
Shredded chicken, white beans, green chiles and a little cream cheese stirred in at the end. Chicken breast is the lean option here, but thighs stay juicier after a long simmer and that is what I use. Top it with jalapeno slices and a handful of cheese. A rotisserie chicken turns this into a 30 minute pot.
Braises that cook while you shovel
Beef Bourguignon
Chuck roast cut into 2 inch pieces, browned hard, then braised in red wine with mushrooms and pearl onions for about 3 hours. Chuck is cheap and turns tender once the collagen breaks down. I serve it over egg noodles on a snow day and skip the bread. Make it in the morning and let it sit, since the flavor improves by dinner.
Pot Roast
A 3 pound chuck roast with carrots, potatoes and onion in a Dutch oven at 300°F for 3 to 4 hours. Nothing to it once the lid goes on. For protein, I count on about 4 ounces of beef per plate and keep the potatoes to 1 or 2 pieces. The leftover beef makes sandwiches the next day.
Braised Short Ribs with Mashed Potatoes
Bone-in short ribs braised in stock and tomato until the meat slides off the bone, about 2.5 hours at 325°F. They are rich, so 1 rib per person over a pile of mashed potatoes is plenty. I skim the fat off the braising liquid before spooning it over the top. Worth the oven time on a day nobody is going anywhere.
Shepherd’s Pie
Ground lamb or beef in gravy with peas and carrots, topped with mashed potatoes and baked until the top browns. My ratio is 1.5 pounds of meat to 2 pounds of potatoes so the filling carries the dish. Mash the potatoes with Greek yogurt instead of cream for a little extra protein. It holds in a warm oven for 1 hour if dinner time slips.
Casseroles and baked dishes
Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken, peas, carrots and a thick gravy under a single top crust. Skipping the bottom crust cuts the butter and lets the chicken stand out. I use 3 cups of cooked chicken for a 9 inch pie, which is more than most recipes call for. Bake until the crust is deep golden, around 40 minutes at 400°F.
Baked Ziti
Ziti, meat sauce, ricotta and mozzarella layered in a 9 by 13 pan and baked for 30 minutes. Mixing a pound of ground beef or Italian sausage into the sauce is what makes this a full meal instead of a side. For the ricotta layer, my pick is part-skim mixed with an egg so it sets. Cut it into 8 squares and the leftovers reheat without drying out.
Slow Cooker Chili Mac
Chili and macaroni in 1 pot, with the pasta added during the last 30 minutes so it does not turn to mush. Ground beef and kidney beans carry the protein. I stir in shredded cheddar right before serving rather than cooking it in. Kids eat this without complaint, which matters by hour 6 of a snow day.
Cheeseburger Casserole
Ground beef, pasta, tomato and cheddar baked together, with pickles and mustard on the side if you want it to taste like the real thing. One pound of beef feeds 6 here. I add a diced onion to the beef while it browns, which does more for the flavor than any extra cheese would. Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days.
Meatloaf with Brussels Sprouts
A 2 pound meatloaf with roasted Brussels sprouts on the same sheet pan, which saves a dish and about 20 minutes. Ground meats need to reach 160°F, so I check the center with a thermometer at the 50 minute mark. A mix of beef and pork keeps it from drying out. Glaze with ketchup and a spoon of brown sugar for the last 10 minutes.
Loaded Baked Potatoes
Russets baked at 425°F for 1 hour until the skins crisp, then split and loaded. The toppings decide whether this is a snack or a dinner. Chili, shredded chicken or taco meat on top turns each potato into a plate with real protein in it. I set out the toppings in bowls and let everyone build their own.
Baked Meatballs
Two pounds of ground beef and pork, breadcrumbs, egg and parmesan, rolled into golf ball sized meatballs and baked at 400°F for 20 minutes. Baking instead of frying means a whole batch is done at once. Half go into marinara for dinner and the rest go in the freezer. For me, 4 meatballs is a serving.
Warm from the oven
Cinnamon Rolls
Yeast dough rolled with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon, proofed by the stove and baked until golden. These are the one thing on this list with no protein argument, and I make them anyway. Do the first rise the night before in the fridge and they go into the oven while the coffee brews. Cream cheese frosting, not glaze.
Buttermilk Biscuits
Cold butter cut into flour, buttermilk stirred in, folded a few times and cut into rounds. Bake at 450°F for 12 to 15 minutes. I split them and fill them with sausage and egg so breakfast carries some protein. They are best within 1 hour of baking, so make a half batch unless the whole house is home.
Cornbread
A skillet of cornbread is what the chili above is missing. Preheat the cast iron so the bottom crust sets the second the batter hits it. My batter gets 1 cup of Greek yogurt in place of some of the milk, which keeps it moist and adds a little protein. Cut it into 9 squares and serve with butter and honey.
Blueberry Crumble
Frozen blueberries tossed with sugar and cornstarch under an oat and butter topping, baked for 40 minutes at 375°F. Frozen berries are the right call in January. I serve it warm with a scoop of Greek yogurt instead of ice cream, which is my fix for most desserts. It reheats fine the next morning.
Chocolate Lava Cake
Individual chocolate cakes with a molten center, done in ramekins in about 12 minutes at 425°F. The batter can sit in the fridge all afternoon and bake after dinner. Pull them when the edges are set and the middle still jiggles. I top mine with raspberries and call it a night.
