21 Cozy Meals to Make On a Snow Day
Soups, stews, and casseroles that will keep you warm.
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It's cold outside and not just that: the weather forecast is a full blown blizzard! Now that snowflakes are in a flurry outside, the best thing you can do is retreat to the kitchen for a warm, cozy meal.
As for what to cook? On a snow day, you're one of two types of people: Someone who's happy for the excuse to spend the day inside mastering a long-saved recipe, or someone who's spent the hours shoveling, sledding, and playing outside with the kids and hungry for something quick that hits the spot. Either way, the family meal ideas on this list are perfect for the coldest days of the season.
Start the day with a hearty breakfast like make-ahead casseroles—a slow cooker can do all the work for you overnight! As for lunch, oven-toasted sandwiches are a quick bite of comfort while the best soups and homemade stews can simmer on the stovetop all day long. There are plenty of winter dinner ideas for later in the evening, too. Snow days are a time to experiment: Try a new recipe like a baked pasta or a slow-roasted dish that may take hours but is well worth the wait. Pair it with a round of hot drinks like mulled cider or buttered rum for the grownups. Of course, a steaming mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows is always a fun treat for the kids. Hungry yet? Hunker down, crank up the oven, and get cooking.
Crock-Pot Breakfast Casserole
Everyone will wake up to the smell of eggs and sausage in the kitchen! Let it cook slowly overnight, and it will be ready in the morning to fuel up the kids for a day of snowball fights and yourself for a few hours of shoveling.
Get the Crock-Pot Breakfast Casserole recipe.
Perfect Potato Soup
Ree's potato soup is one of her all-time favorites for a reason. It's pureed to a silky smooth texture and topped with parsley, cheese, and crispy bacon bits. Oh, and it's ready in 30 minutes!
Get Ree's Perfect Potato Soup recipe.
Irish Stew
Hearty stew is always good for snow days. Pile your choice of meat, potatoes, and vegetables into a pot and let it simmer on the stove for hours. The longer the flavors have to meld, the richer and more luscious it tastes.
Get Ree's Irish Stew recipe.
Monte Cristo
Any snow day sandwich should be melty, cheesy, and toasty warm. The Monte Cristo is all three—and doubly a treat for breakfast or dinner when pressed with French toast. A dusting of powdered sugar looks just like snow!
Get the Monte Cristo recipe.
Chili Mac and Cheese
Chili or mac and cheese? If the kids are fighting about which one to have for dinner, everyone gets their way with this dish. It's made in a skillet and ready to serve in 30 minutes.
Get Ree's Chili Mac and Cheese recipe.
Dutch Oven Chicken
The warm aroma of a whole cooked chicken and winter veggies will fill your home when you prepare this one-pot meal. It's a show-stopper for the dinner table.
Get the Dutch Oven Chicken recipe.
Albóndigas
Ever heard of it? This is a traditional Mexican meatball soup that's chock-full of vegetables, long grain rice, and rich seasonings. The meatballs can be rolled ahead of time and ready for simmering in broth when the weather keeps you indoors.
Get the Albóndigas recipe.
Beef Burgundy
If you have a bottle of red wine, you can master this traditional French beef dish. It's made with chuck roast, mushrooms, and pearl onions. And don't worry if the snowstorm keeps you stuck inside, this stew will last for three days.
Get Ree's Beef Burgundy recipe.
Million Dollar Spaghetti
If you're up for a cooking project, this baked pasta lives up to its name. Similar to lasagna, it's assembled in layers: a meaty spaghetti sauce, a triple cheese mixture, and noodles tossed in pesto.
Get Ree's Million Dollar Spaghetti recipe.
Dumpling Soup
On a snow day, head to the freezer! This soup is easy to prepare with a package of ready-made frozen dumplings. Serve bowls with hot sauce or chili oil for extra heat.
Get the Dumpling Soup recipe.
Slow-Cooker Drip Beef Sandwiches
Behold: a Drummond family favorite. The meat is cooked down for hours in beef broth, pepperoncini, and rosemary; then, it's shredded and piled onto toasted buns with caramelized onions and provolone cheese. What's left is ladled into a ramekin for dipping.
Get Ree's Slow-Cooker Drip Beef Sandwiches recipe.
One-Pot French Onion Pasta
It's the TikTok wonder! A snow day is the perfect excuse to experiment with new recipes in the kitchen, so try out this viral dish: the one-pot French onion pasta. It's an easy twist on everyone's favorite soup.
Get the One-Pot French Onion Pasta recipe.
Pot Stickers
These pan-fried dumplings are a fun snow day project for the whole family: Mom or Dad can prepare the fillings and the kids can help assemble the wrappers.
Get the Pot Stickers recipe.
Stuffed Butternut Squash
Winter is squash season and that includes the butternut variety. Each one of these roasted squashes are filled to the brim with other wintry add-ins like cremini mushrooms, kale, and fresh sage.
Get Ree's Stuffed Butternut Squash recipe.
Steak au Poivre
Date night at home? Say hello to this peppercorn-crusted pan-seared filet. It's smothered in the most utterly delicious brandy sauce either of you have ever tasted.
Get Ree's Steak au Poivre recipe.
Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
The only thing that could make a sweet potato sweeter is this hearty filling: chicken, jalapeños, green chiles, and melty cheese. A sprinkling of cilantro and squeeze of fresh lime juice freshens it up.
Get Ree's Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes recipe.
White Lasagna
This vegetarian dish features layers of pasta, creamy béchamel sauce stuffed with pesto, ricotta, and mozzarella, and vegetables like spinach and squash.
Get Ree's White Lasagna recipe.
Vegetarian Pot Pie
If a plate of meat and potatoes seems too heavy after a day in the snow, dig into this meatless meal. It has all the comfort of a pot pie with good-for-you veggies and pantry ingredients.
Get the Vegetarian Pot Pie recipe.
Pierogi and Kielbasa Sheet Pan Dinner
If you're looking for ease, break out a sheet pan. This hearty dish combines the rich flavors of Polish kielbasa sausage with pierogi and winter-ready vegetables like cabbage and onions.
Braised Short Ribs
The tender meat is so good it both falls off the bone and sticks to your ribs. Serve the ribs on a bed of creamy goat cheese polenta with a sprig of thyme and rosemary. Now that's what you call a comforting winter meal!
Get Ree's Braised Short Ribs recipe.
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