
It’s COLD in most of the US — went from a warmish fall to icy winter in just a day!! It’s time to pull out my favorite cold weather recipes — foods that take a while to cook, warm up the boat, and stick to your ribs. Soups and stews are great and “warming up the boat” is always a good excuse for making a batch of cookies or loaf of homemade bread.
Here are some of my favorites, both on the website and in The Boat Galley Cookbook:
- Jambalaya — one of my favorite cold weather recipes, as it can cook for a while and the spiciness will warm up your insides, too. Also see The Boat Galley Cookbook, pages 183, 184 and 320 for other variations.
- Split Pea Soup — you can make it in a Thermos to take with you (click here or page 73 of TBGC) or cook it on the stove (same ingredients, simmer for an hour or more). For a real treat, serve with homemade bread.
- Homemade Bread — TBGC pages 386 to 404 contains many of my favorite recipes along with step by step instructions. I’ve also put together “Yeast Bread Making 101” (click here) here with 40+ photos to show the steps in detail. Don’t be intimidated — it’s really not that hard and the results are delicious!
- Whole Roast Chicken — I typically think of this as a boat-friendly substitute for a whole turkey on holidays, but the reality is that roast chicken with all the fixings — mashed potatoes, gravy, and so on — is wonderful on a cold day. Recipe here, TBGC page 278.
- Tuxedo Soup — black and white beans and chicken (maybe left over from that roast chicken??), slightly spicy — get the recipe here or TBGC page 168.
- Chili (TBGC page 169) or White Chicken Chili (TBGC page 180) — chili is a traditional cold weather favorite, and for good reason. One of our favorites! I particularly like the white chili as it’s a little bit different from “the usual” — great for guests!
- Homemade Spaghetti Sauce — with pasta or use it to make lasagna, a real cold-weather favorite! TBGC page 261.
- Roast Veggies — one of my favorites any time, but we have it probably three times a week when it’s cold out. Also makes a great (and healthy!) lunch. Here’s the recipe for making them in the Omnia Stove Top Oven and directions for doing them in a conventional oven are in TBGC page 193.
- Having guests over for happy hour? Think about a warm appetizer, such as Buffalo Wings Dip (recipe here or TBGC page 138 — it’s called Buffalo Chicken Dip in the cookbook), Reuben Dip (TBGC page 137) or Artichoke or Mushroom Dip (recipe here or TBGC page 141)
Don’t forget “boatmeal” (oatmeal on a boat — see here for an easy way to make it) for breakfast, and TBGC has recipes for many cakes and cookies that are designed to be made by hand — they are all wonderful in cold weather!
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Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Patricia L. McMullen says
I didn’t realize you were in the Ft Myers area. I’m visiting friends in Lehigh Acres for a few days before heading back to cold in Canada on Tuesday
The Boat Galley says
About an hour away — Glades Boat Storage on the Okeechobee.
Patricia L. McMullen says
Sounds lovely, I was down on Orlando for a conference for work then came down here for a few days of RnR. Enjoying sitting in the backyard with the light breeze. This may be all we do today 🙂 the day I left Monyreal my sailboat was pulled for the winter so I now have six months before sailing season comes around again. AnywY, I enjoy you Facebook page and your website. Good luck with the cat!
Love Sail Social Network And Online Dating says
Oh dear! We were warmer in London 59!
Don Conant says
cold here in NH too… making grandpa’s J’s chicken paprikas
Terri Zorn says
My uncle lives in Porta Gunta: they had to turn on their furnace. 45 in Ohio along the shores of Lake Erie
Anne Ellingsen says
You should be here in Anacortes we are going to be a balmy 54. It has been very wet tho!
Cyndy Carter says
well what do you know? I’m at Burnt Store Marina! Wearing a hoodie. That wind was HOWLING the last couple days. I got up around 3 the last 2 nights to check dock lines. The first time I forgot the front had come through and went out in my skivvies, that was a wake up call
The Sea and Sailors says
Hm… nice food!
Frances Liz Fernandez says
These look so comforting. We are not on a boat these days because my father in law just passed away but can definitely be enjoyed on land. I’m inspired. Thanks for sharing
The Boat Galley says
So sorry to hear about your father in law.