As soon as the temperature drops below 50, I start thinking about winter foods — soups and stews and casseroles. The great thing about many of these dishes is that they require a flurry of preparation up front and them longish cooking times where you can completely ignore them. So you can put a stew in the slow cooker in the morning and come back in the evening to a treat. Get the soup or chili started in the pot and then go off to do something else while it gets delicious and fills your house with yummy smells. Or assemble some homemade mac n cheese or an eggplant parmesan and then pop it in the oven. (Added bonus: Having the oven on for a while makes the kitchen toasty warm.

Another great benefit of these dishes is that it's easy to make double portions and freeze the extra. You can pull them out of the freezer for nights you know you'll be too busy to cook.

I like to use snowy or rainy days for a burst of cooking (maybe a crockpot full of stew, a pot or two of soup, and a casserole). It keeps me warm, inside and out, plus I can parlay a few hours of work into reduced anxiety on several evenings. Plus, if you plan your cooking well, you can work hard for an hour or so and then sit back with your needlework or a good book until it's time to package things for the freezer. It's an all-around win.

What are you favorite go-to winter recipes?