It finally happened. After months of wondering if it left us for good, winter came at us overnight. I’ll admit, I kind of like seeing that white stuff sparkling on the trees. Those first few days of snow are a little reminder to slow down a bit, light a fire, and reflect on the crazy year we just went though.
Winter doesn’t mean complete hibernation in this house. It just means a change in activities! I spend most of my free time on the ski trails, while the Lumberjack waits patiently for the weather’s green light to get out on the ice and chase trout around. It’s a whole new season of cold, crisp adventures. Of course, winter also means a change in my kitchen game-plan. The barbecue slowly turns into a brick of ice, the garden plants that I forgot to pull get buried by the snow, and I quietly sneak over to my true loves: baking, roasting and recipes that take way too long.
Even though I can happily spend hours in the kitchen, every now and then I fall back on some of life’s simple dishes. A stocked pantry and freezer are only worthwhile if you use what’s in them, and those everyday ingredients really can help you create a meal to write home about.
I don’t think I’m alone in saying that one of my go-to winter dishes is chili. Whoever put that mean meal together had their head in the game. It’s versatile, delicious, and isn’t even half bad for you. The benefits are endless. Only want to cook once this week? Chili. Going ice fishing? Chili. Need some fibre? Chili. Hosting a football team? Chili. On a diet? Want to enter a cooking contest? Craving something spicy? Chili, chili, chili! At any given time, you’re only a handful of ingredients and a few spices away from a delicious pot of the good stuff. You can personalize it, minimalize it, customize it, or just wing it. Any way you mix it, you got this. Everybody loves chili.
BY LEIGHA BENFORD
For Wild Northerner
Northern Kitchen