Had Osso Buco on a cold day in VCE last week. It was the perfect winter dish.

It's officially cold here now. Time to make the chili!

I could also add Fondue to my list.

I think my favorite dishes are squash and roast beef with yorkshire pudding.
Yum!

Similarily, I've never understood the argument that ambient outside temperature implies whether one should not grill. Going OMNI for a sec, to me it's like the argument that convertibles are impractical to own when you live in the north. (USS Clueless, there's a reason it's called a convertible: The roof is discretionary, not absent. :rolleyes:)

Back to food! I've become rather fond of gratins lately, especially those combining bitter flavors such as radicchio and/or escarole with blue cheese, which mellow beautifully upon baking.

Speaking of winter grilling, one of my all time favorite dishes to do for Christmas dinner is an adaptation of Wood Oven Roasted Mussels in Saffron Tomato Garlic broth w/grilled bread. It comes out great on a charcoal or wood grill (but not gas) using a large cast iron skillet. Living where I do, shellfish of all kinds are plentiful so it's easy to change up clams for mussels or add in a few crab legs if whim strikes (and budget allows). To me winter is chilly and wet, not cold and dry, so having something from sea fits my mood better than meat coming out of the oven. (Or maybe I'm just sick of turkey being peddled at every turn this time of year. :D)

Anything sweet potato - fries, roasted, mashed, chips:).

We have cheesy potato casserole every year for Thanksgiving dinner and then again for Christmas dinner. So when it starts getting to be that time of year, I start thinking about cheesy potatoes.

Fries, mashed potatoes, chips are made out of sweet potato (aka yams)? :confused:

Beef Bourguignon.

Lots of Beef Bourguignon.

Oh you poor American fellows. You never ever had the greatets winter meal that is there in world: Grünkohl mit Pinkel (Kale with sausage). Afterwards a nice shot of schnaps (trust me you need it).

Yesterday a slow-braised crockpot of ragú made with beef short ribs, served over polenta...so heartwarming you could thaw out the Grinch with it! :) Served with a nice glass of Primitivo, it was a perfect winter supper.

Lots of Americans of Portuguese (or Azorean or Capo Verdean) heritage have kale with sausage (usually linguiça or chorizo) and potatoes all the time, especially in winter...and a lot of them are in the New England area, so this is familiar to lots of fellows around Boston. I love it this time of year myself! An exception to the German way is that we drink vinho verde with it, and chase it with good New England rum instead :D

We came close to the first frost of the season this week, although today was in the mid 70's. But the cooler nights have inspired me to break out the crockpot. I've made vegetable soup and crockpot chili in the past week. Tonight I roasted a spaghetti squash and served it sprinkled with leftover pizza sauce and curls of parmesan cheese.

I used to believe that I hated winter squash, but that was based on Grandma BamaVol's serving that nasty thawed mush with Thanksgiving dinner. Fresh baked acorn or hubbard squash with lots of butter and cinnamon is delicious.

Another vote for the joys of crockpot cooking...

Some favorites:

-Split Pea Soup with plenty of smoked ham or bacon

-Nikujaga (Japanese Beef and Potato Stew)

-Wine Braised Lamb Shanks

-Pulled Pork Sandwiches

-Mutton Stew

and of course

-Chili....Beef, or Pork or Chicken; cooked with red, green, or well smoked chillies.

For me it's all about the pumpkin pie. Whipped cream optional.

Korean rice cake and dumpling soup (mandu-guk) is also a quite nice lunch dish on a crispy cold winter day. Best accompanied by some kimchi variants and other Korean side dishes and voila - warm stomach and body.

I bought another soup cookbook yesterday. For $4.99, I now have 100 soup recipes all based on a vegetable stock that can be made in bulk and kept in the freezer. Sunday's Soup de Jour will be lentil with smoked ham.

Good hearty stews hit the spot with me.

Game! Even the simpler Paris bistrots have hare stew, duck, venison...can't wait!

At home, I make a delicious root vegetable bisque, also stews and more meat dishes than in the warmer months. Time to break out the heavier red wines, too.