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We’re in the heart of winter, and between the cold, the snow, and the wind, all we want to do this time of year is hunker down. Even celebs like Ina Garten, who are total workaholics, have been known to sit back and relax while watching the winter wonderland outside and trying to stay cozy and warm at home. We love to tackle a nice comfort food cooking project when it’s cold outside and we have nowhere to go, so we started wondering – if we were Ina Garten, trapped in our beautiful Hamptons home during a snowstorm, what would we make? These are just a few of the best Barefoot Contessa recipes for snow day cooking, with winter comfort food recipes from Modern Comfort Food and the other Barefoot Contessa Cookbooks.
Creamy Chicken Thighs With Lemon and Thyme
Chicken thighs are one of our go-to dinner ingredients, but Ina Garten’s take, featuring a creamy lemon thyme sauce, transforms this humble workhorse into a memorable, comforting meal.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs
Lush short ribs become melt-in-your-mouth tender after braising in red wine in this Ina Garten recipe, which is just as perfect for family dinners as it is fancy dinner parties.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Potato Galette
Ina Garten’s potato galette from her cookbook Cook Like a Pro is like a giant latke, or Swiss potatoes rösti. Serve it for breakfast where it acts like a giant hashbrown cake, or serve it for dinner paired with a peppery arugula salad.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
16 Bean Pasta e Fagioli
The perfect bean soup doesn’t exi— oh hello, Ina Garten’s 16 bean pasta e fagioli. Not only is this hearty soup full of healthful legumes, but it’s also just what we want to tuck into on a cold winter day, especially when served with a chunk of homemade bread.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Mushroom & Leek Bread Pudding
Sweet bread pudding is definitely a nostalgic dessert fave. But Garten’s savory twist on bread pudding, which is made with mushrooms and leeks, might be even more iconic.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Easy Eggs in Purgatory
Eggs may feel like a luxury item these days, but you can stretch them into a full meal with this warming breakfast or brunch dish. Garten’s easy eggs in purgatory feature eggs in a spiced tomato sauce, and it’s a dish just begging to be served with toast or pita bread for scooping up all that flavor.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Beef Stew
Leave it to Ina to take a traditional beef stew but dial up the flavor with full-bodied red wine and cognac. She also swaps out traditional chuck for boneless beef short ribs, because they get much more tender as they cook.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Baked Rigatoni with Lamb Ragu
Pasta is always a safe bet when you want a hearty meal that will warm you from the inside out. Garten’s recipe combines rigatoni with a rich lamb ragu and plenty of cheese, ideal for chilly winter nights.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
When you’re wrapped up in blankets and sitting in front of the fire (or watching a yule log video on YouTube), nothing makes you feel more cozy and cheerful than a mug of hot cocoa. Garten’s Peppermint Hot Chocolate take things to the next level.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Cauliflower Cheese Toasts
Garten’s Cauliflower Cheese Toast sounds simple, but the flavor is deliciously complex, thanks to a combination of roasted cauliflower, mascarpone and Gruyere cheese, crispy prosciutto, and a sprinkle of Parmesan to finish. Enjoy with your favorite soup, or on its own with a big glass of red wine.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Ina Garten’s Perfect Roast Chicken
If ever a recipe was more than the sum of its parts, it’s this one. Garten’s perfect roast chicken comes out tender, moist, and full of flavor, thanks to the generous amount of herbs, lemon, and butter called for. It’s everything you want for dinner on a cold night (and the leftover lemony chicken makes amazing soup!).
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Winter Minestrone & Garlic Bruschetta
We know that Garten made this winter minestrone with butternut squash, pancetta, and pesto during an early January snow storm, and it just might be worth a repeat.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Ina Garten’s Overnight Mac & Cheese
If you have lots of time to cook on your snow day, get a head start on tomorrow’s dinner by making Ina Garten’s overnight macaroni and cheese recipe. It’s rich, decadent, and cheesy, but you don’t even need to make a bechamel to assemble the dish.
Get the recipe from Barefoot Contessa.
Before you go, check out Garten’s best dinner recipes below:
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