Family Favourite Autumn & Winter Meals

Over the years, I have been intentional about loving my family through the kitchen. Of course there are some nights where I throw nuggets and fries in the air fryer or whip up boxed macaroni and cheese and call it a day [let’s be honest… kids love that stuff]! That said, most days, I try to approach our family meals with love and care. I thought I would share some our favourite family meals and link to the recipe when I can as well as share any tweaks, suggestion or substitutions I make.

ROASTS

Is there anything more comforting than a roast dinner on a chilly or crisp day? While I know many in the UK have weekly “Sunday Roasts,” I tend fo look for sales on meat. My go-to ham recipe is this one by “Everyday Eileen” [I add orange preserves or marmalade to the bourbon glaze as the citrus brightens it beautifully]. I pair it with these scalloped potatoes from “Gimme Some Oven” with added Epicure’s “CCB” which stands for Cheddar, Chives and Bacon Dip Mix.

For roasted chicken, I base it on Ina Garten’s recipe and incorporate Epicure’s “Roast Chicken” spice blend. I usually serve roast chicken with creamy mashed potatoes with Epicure’s “Lemon Dill” dip mix as the zingy lemon complements the citrus notes in the chicken along with veggies and perhaps a crusty baguette.

While I have made roast pork and enjoyed it, pulled pork is the clear winner for my family. We make this recipe from “Spaceships and Laser Beams” which features Dr. Pepper. It sounds odd, but it is delicious, sweet, spicy and smokey. It also freezes beautifully! I like to serve it in bakery buns topped with the pulled pork, creamy coleslaw and crunchy sweet pickles!

SOUPS, STEWS & CURRIES

Leftover ham can be used to make split pea soup. This is called “Quebec-Style Yellow Split Pea Soup” by Seasons and Suppers which is perfect if you have a spiral ham bone. As my parents live in Québec, I grew up eating the canned stuff, but recently I have started making it from scratch and love a mug of it, served alongside a crusty slice of bread slathered with butter. Curious- does anyone else enjoy eating soup out of a large mug?

Another soup that we absolutely love is this Chicken Tortilla Soup by “Chelsea’s Messy Apron.” With a brick of cream cheese and tons of sprinkled cheese, it isn’t the healthiest soup, but oh my lanta it is incredible! I always make enough to freeze so that we have a quick and delicious dinner waiting for us in the freezer.

I will never tire of this lentil and mushroom stew over a potato and parsnip mash by Dishing Out Health. I had made a very similar recipe to this which was a shepherd’s pie without the lentils, but I much prefer this for the boosted protein and I find it works better for leftovers when holding off layering until serving.

Recently I tried my hand at Chicken & Dumpings by “The Novice Chef.” It is truly delicious as is, but as dumplings sit a little heavy, next time I would skip the dumplings and add potatoes, but otherwise serve this as a delicious chicken stew. The evaporated milk gives the creamy broth a silkiness that is highly addictive!

When it comes to soup, Kyler loves “orange soup” also known as Autumn Sweet Potato & Curry Soup. I actually posted this soup a few years ago that you can check out here.

Last but certainly not least in the soup category, I absolutely love cabbage roll soup. My nana had Mennonite roots which was heavily influenced by Eastern European cuisine. What I like about this recipe from, “Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons” is that it is packed with all the delicious flavour of the traditional dish without the fuss of actually assembling them.

I don’t have a go-to recipe, but I will always love curries, be it Thai or Indian, they are all so hearty, versatile and delicious! Curry is a highly cultural dish and differs from region to region and I’m thankful my family can enjoy them whether we use store bought short-cuts or making it from scratch.

My husband’s absolute favourite dish has to be beef stew. We enjoy this one pot recipe from the Busy Baker. I made this for a couple family gatherings this month!

PASTA

When Italy meets France. I created this spin off the traditional French classic ratatouille with grilled eggplant, zucchini and tomato served over a bed of pasta with chicken and ‘Simply Delicious’ ” béchamel sauce swapping out the mature cheddar for freshly grated Parmesan. It is decadent and unforgettable.

Another absolutely delicious easy weeknight pasta dish is shrimp scampi again by the Busy Baker. I added a little spritz of lemon and some lemon dill seasoning.

CHILLI

Chili is always a hit with us! I love this vegetarian chilli from “Two Paas & Their Pod.” There is plenty of protein in both the beans and quinoa and I actually prefer it to its ground beef counterpart. It’s easier and less expensive to make as well! We often pair it with jalapeño cornbread by “Peas And Crayons.” I have swapped out the yogurt for cottage cheese and it is equally delicious! If you are looking for more vegetarian dishes, I would highly recommend this one.