Winter Dinners You Can Whip Up Q

Wintertime means comfort foods. But many of those comfort foods can be time-consuming. Sometimes you really just need something you can whip up real quick, but that's hearty and warming. Here are some winter dinner ideas that you can do on the fly. They'll taste great and won't take you long to cook.

Quick and Creamy Chicken Stew

lb small red potatoes (about 8), quartered
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1 (10 3/4 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
cup zesty Italian salad dressing
2 cups frozen stew vegetables
cup sour cream

Place potatoes and water in a microwave safe dish and cover. Microwave on high 7 minutes or until fork tender. Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 7 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.

Add potatoes, soup, dressing and vegetables to saucepan. Bring to boil; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 3 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are heated through.

Stir in sour cream; cook 1 minute or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

30-Minute Chili

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pounds ground beef
Montreal seasoning or salt and pepper to taste
bottle (6 ounce) of beer
1 can (14 ounces) beef broth
1 can (6 ounce) tomato paste
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 oz smoky barbecue sauce
3 tbsp hot sauce
6 oz shredded smoked cheddar cheese

Heat oil in a deep pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saut 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add beef and brown for another 3-5 minutes. Season lightly with Montreal seasoning or salt and pepper. Add beer and allow it to reduce by half.

Stir in broth, paste, chili powder, cumin, barbecue sauce, and hot sauce. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes. Top with cheese. Great served with corn chips.

Crispy Chicken Cutlets

2 lbs chicken cutlets
Salt and pepper to taste
3-4 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1/3 � � cup grated Parmigiano cheese
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp poultry season
1 clove garlic
1 jar (3 ounces) pine nuts
2 tbsp lemon zest
2 eggs, beaten
Olive oil

Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish and turn cutlets lightly in flour.

Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, red pepper flakes, poultry seasoning, garlic, pine nuts, and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse to evenly mix. Transfer the mixture to a plate. Beat eggs in a separate shallow dish.

Heat a thin layer of oil, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan, in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Coat cutlets in eggs, then bread and place in hot oil. Cook cutlets in a single layer until breading is evenly browned and juices run clear, 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate.

Vodka Cream Pasta

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup chicken stock
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
cup heavy cream
12 ounces pasta
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn

Boil water for your pasta.

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic, and shallots. Gently saut garlic and shallots for 3-5 minutes. Add vodka and stir. Reduce vodka by half, 2-3 minutes. Add chicken stock and tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble, then reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.

Stir cream into vodka sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves.

Balsamic Pork Tenderloins

2 pork tenderloins (2 pounds total)
Balsamic vinegar (about 3 tbsp)
Olive oil
4 cloves garlic, cracked
2 tbsp Montreal seasoning or salt and pepper
4 sprigs each rosemary and thyme, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Trim silver skin off tenderloins. Place tenderloins on a non-stick cookie sheet with a rim. Coat tenderloins in balsamic vinegar, rubbing into the meat. Drizzle with olive oil to coat. Cut small slits into meat and place chunks of crack garlic in the meat. Combine steak seasoning or salt and pepper with rosemary and thyme and rub on the meat. Roast in hot oven 20-25 minutes. Let meat rest, then slice and serve.

These are just a few quick and hearty meals for the winter. What are your favorite quick winter meal ideas?