Here are a few recipes for the winter to warm your cockles. (If, in fact, you have cockles. I’m not sure what they are, but I’m pretty sure I don’t have them. So, really these recipes just warm other stuff, like maybe your feet.)

Fiesta Turkey Bake

Great for a cold night, the kids love this casserole. Try topping with crushed tortilla chips instead of bread crumbs for a bigger South-of-the-Border taste!

Ingredients:

• 1-1 ¼ lb. ground turkey (97/3 fat ratio)
• 2 C cooked rice
• 1 16-oz. bag Mexican-style frozen veggies with black beans, prepared according to package
• Salt and pepper
• 1 can lowfat cheddar cheese soup
• 1 can milk
• 1 C bread crumbs
• 2 tsp butter
  

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.

Brown turkey in frying pan. Add Mexican vegetable mix. Stir until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Spray 11X14 baking dish with nonstick spray. Cover bottom of baking dish with rice. Top with meat and vegetable mixture.

In bowl, stir together soup and milk. Pour over rice and turkey.

Melt butter in a bowl in the microwave. Stir in bread crumbs. Sprinkle crumbs over top of casserole.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until heated through.

Velvety Beet Soup, by Christy Morgan

I got this recipe from a yoga site, and it is addictive!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium carrot, chopped
• 2 red beets, peeled and chopped
• 6 cups filtered water
• 1 cup red lentils, washed and drained
• 3 bay leaves
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 tablespoons umeboshi vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• Dash of black pepper
• Sea salt to taste if needed
• Tofutti sour cream and chopped dill for garnish
  

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add carrots and beets with a pinch of sea salt and sauté for 5 minutes. Add water, lentils, bay leaves, and another pinch of salt. Bring to boil, and then lower heat and simmer, partially covered for 25-30 minutes.

Remove bay leaves. Puree in small batches in a blender and return to pot. Or use an emersion blender. Stir in vinegar, lemon and pepper. Taste and add sea salt if needed.

Serve warm or cold garnished with a dollop of soy sour cream and chopped dill.

This is a great, hearty soup for chilly autumn nights!

Chicken Corn Chowder  

• 1 c. chopped onion
• 2 c. chicken broth
• 2 cups frozen corn, thawed and run through food processor (or 2 8 oz. cans cream style corn)
• 3 or 4 medium potatoes, cubed
• 1 c. celery
• 2 c. cubed cooked chicken or turkey
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ¼ tsp. paprika
• Generous dash cayenne pepper (optional)
• 3 c. milk

Heat skillet and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add onion and saute until tender. Add broth, corn, potatoes, celery and chicken and bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Add seasonings; gradually add milk. Cover and simmer on low until heated.

Potato Soup

• Six or seven medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• One medium onion, finely diced
• Milk (low-fat if you’re watching your weight, whole if you’ve given up)
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup butter or margarine (I like Smart Balance)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• One tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 1/2 tablespoon parsley flakes)

Boil cubed potatoes in water until cook. Drain. Smash with fork until coarse lumps. Add milk (lots if you like soupy soup, less if you like it thicker--I add enough to cover the potatoes, plus about two inches), onions, butter, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat until onions are softened. Add parsley.

Yum!

Chicken A La Queen (Loosely translated, this means “Chicken Cooked by the Queen.”)

Here’s one I remembered from my childhood a while back. Amazingly, my mother still had the recipe. The kids love it!

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 2 cans (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 can (large) chicken (Yes! They do have canned chicken!)
• 3 slices (or more) American cheese

In a large skillet with a lid, over medium high heat, fry macaroni in oil until golden brown, stirring often. Add two cans of tomato sauce and one can of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add chicken and stir. Put cheese slices on top and cover until cheese melts.

Spiked Cider

This is a big hit at holiday parties, and is great after a strenuous day of winter sports, or watching winter sports on TV.

• One gallon apple cider
• Six cinnamon sticks
• Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum

Heat cider and cinnamon sticks over low heat until the whole house smells good. Remove cinnamon sticks.

Pour cider into a mug. Add a shot or two of spiced rum. Serve with a fresh cinnamon stick.

Potato Salad

(I played with this recipe to make it lighter. Make sure you eat this within a day or two, or it gets dry.)3 ½ C red potatoes, cooked and quartered

• 1 C lowfat plain yogurt
• ¼ C light mayonnaise
• 2 T (or more) white vinegar
• 1 tsp. dried dill (or 2 tsp. fresh chopped)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• ¼ C sliced scallions
• Salt to taste

Mix yogurt, mayo, vinegar, dill and sugar. Add potatoes and scallions. Toss to coat. Add salt to taste.

Donna’s Tortellini Salad

(Easy and delicious! Good as a hot or cold meal, or a side salad.)

• 1 pkg. Barilla 3-cheese Tortellini
• 2 C broccoli
• ½ C red bell pepper, diced
• ½ C spinach, chopped
• 1 15-oz. can Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes with Basil, Oregano and Garlic
• 3 T olive oil
• ¼ C shaved parmesan (I used the kind already shaved, in a bag)

1. Cook tortellini according to package.
2. Steam broccoli for three minutes. Add red pepper and steam for 2 minutes. Add spinach and steam for 1 or 2 minutes more. Drain.
3. Combine tortellini, vegetables, tomatoes, and olive oil. Add parmesan cheese and toss gently.
4. Serve hot or refrigerate for several hours and serve cold.
   

Black Bean Burgers

(I modified this from a Cooks.com recipe. Great alternative to hamburgers!)

• 1 20 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
• ¾ C quick oats
• ½ medium onion, chopped
• 1 egg, or ¼ C egg substitute
• ¼ C ketchup
• ½ tsp. garlic salt
• ½ tsp. pepper
• ¼ C white cornmeal
• ¼ C flour
• 2 – 3 T oil

1. Mash beans with a potato masher.
2. Stir in oats, onion, egg, ketchup, garlic salt and pepper.
3. Cover and chill 1 hour.
4. Stir together flour and cornmeal. Form patties with bean mixture and dredge in flour mixture.
5. Heat oil in frying pan over medium high heat.
6. Cook burgers 6 minutes on each side.
7. Serve plain or in buns.