1. Brew up a batch of warming mulled wine
Not that you needed an excuse to drink red wine in winter, but try mulling it for extra cosy-factor. Warm red wine slowly in a pot with aromatics and citrus fruit – serve next to a roaring fire.
2. Enjoy slow cooking
Get that slow cooker out and prepare a delicious dinner that’s been simmering patiently all day.
3. Throw a dinner party
Gather friends and family and throw a dinner party to remember using our tips and tricks. Food to Love is bursting with great dinner party recipes, including cocktails and desserts. We’ve also got advice for throwing a particularly wintery celebration.
4. Enjoy the simple things
Get back to basics and enjoy the simple things in the kitchen – perfect your mash potato skills or make the best roast chicken of your life.
5. Pickle some vegetables
Preserve that summer feeling by preserving vegetables in a jar. Not only is this super satisfying and a good way to use up produce, the end result is delicious. Plus it’s extremely easy – it’s as simple as boiling some water with vinegar, sugar, salt and spices and waiting a few hours while the vegetables pickle. Most pickles and chutneys take the best part of a day to make and three months to mature.
6.Make some chutney or jam
You don’t need any special equipment to make jams, sauces, relishes, chutneys, fruits in syrup, conserves, cordials, jellies and pastes, just some preserving jars and lids. Jam can be made in an hour, and chutney or a batch of sauce will take about four hours. Such a great way to spend an afternoon. Here are some tips to get you started.
7. Make your own bread
What could be more satisfying than baking your own bread? Here’s a simple how-to video to get you started.
8. Make a batch of soup
Winter is the best excuse to enjoy big bowls of hot soup. From spicy and exotic versions to more traditional recipes, all soup is good soup.
9. Get stuck into the comfort classics
Cooler weather calls for comfort food! Whether it’s macaroni and cheese or a big juicy cheeseburger, there are plenty of comfort food greatest hits on Food to Love.
10. Take a different flavour tack
Trick your mind into thinking it’s summer and make a summery light meal like Vietnamese pancakes, a light salad or a zingy dessert.
11. Winter means hot chocolate time!
Hot toddy, hot chocolate, hot drinks in general! Try this Mexican-style hot chocolate and this boozy version.
12.Watch some Food to Love videos
Spend an afternoon watching Food to Love’s videos and brush up on your cooking skills. We think you’ll like this easy cheeseball, no-churn ice cream, and our tips for creating latte art at home.
13. Master the classics
Stuck inside on a rainy day or at a loose end on the weekend? Why not master the classics like a beef Wellington or beef bourguinon?
14. Make your own cheese
Simple, easy and requiring just a few ingredients, making your own cheese from scratch is a lot easier than you’d expect. Here’s how to make ricotta and cottage cheese.
15. Make your own pasta
Make like an Italian mama and spend an afternoon making your own pasta from scratch. Here’s a how-to gnocchi video and a recipe for pasta timpani.
16. Celebrate a mid-winter Christmas with friends
We’re thinking a Northern Hemisphere-style feast with a big turkey, stuffing and all the trimmings where the guests wear knitted jumpers and bobble hats.
17. Tackle a super complicated dish
Roll up those sleeves, throw on an apron and tackle a complicated dish you’ve never attempted to make before. How about this epic layer cake, a French-style pie, frozen gateau or a meringue layer cake?
18. Cook a curry from scratch
No pre-made pastes around here! Try this peppered pork curry, paneer and spinach curry or a chicken curry with potatoes, cardamom and ginger.
19. Bake a cake
Fill the kitchen with the sweet scent of baking. Follow these simple steps for making the perfect cake, then try your hand at this spiced tea cake with honey frosting, and this apple crumble cake.
20. Prepare some baking for your colleagues
You’ll be the office favourite if you bring in a batch of these brownies, this slice, or these cookies.
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