It's officially winter, and the country is being bombarded with frigid temperatures and harsh winds. On days like these, the best thing you can do is grab a blanket and cuddle up with your dog (or person, I guess), and hopefully sit by a heater or fireplace. Grab some hot cocoa and binge-watch Gilmore Girls on Netflix, and check out these recipes that are sure to keep you warm this winter.

1. Winter Squash Soup

Yum. I love a good squash soup! This soup recipe comes from Erren's Kitchen, and is a super easy recipe that is sure to be delicious. It only requires

• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 2.5 lbs winter squash peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 5 cups chicken stock
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Fresh parsely, chopped to serve (optional)

Some of the ingredients could be substituted (you could substitute onion powder for the sauteed onions) if you are feeling adventurous.

2. Slow Cooker Beef Stew

If I had the patience, I would cook everything in a slow cooker. The aroma fills the house, and then I inevitably get hungry...it's a vicious cycle. This slow cooker beef stew from Six Sisters' Stuff takes about 8 hours in a slow cooker, but only a couple of minutes to prepare. Here is a quick run-down of the ingredients:

• 1 pound beef stew cubes
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 4-6 red potatoes, cut into large cubes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (1 oz) package dry onion soup mix
• 2 (10.75 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 (10 oz) package frozen green peas

This recipe is well worth the wait. Just make sure to start it in the morning so you can enjoy it for dinner! :)

3. The Best Chili On Earth

Now I will admit, the title is quite boastful! Many people have their own chili recipes to swear by, but for those of us just starting out on our own, we need a little extra guidance. This chili recipe from Pip and Ebby does just that; it takes the guess-work out of making your first chili! Admittedly, I would probably make the bean:meat ratio much MUCH larger, but the recipe is very balanced. Here are the ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground beef, turkey, or venison
• 1 yellow or white onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped (optional, but highly recommended)
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 46-oz. container tomato juice
• 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 15-oz. can tomato sauce
• 16-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 16-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• Shredded cheese and sour cream

Go on and give it a try; this chili is sure to warm you up.

4. Chickpea Pumpkin Coconut Curry (VEGAN)

This chickpea pumpkin coconut curry from Emilie Eats is my absolute favorite thing to cook. I use about four times the spice she lists in her recipe, and I LOVE the smell of curry on the stove (or crockpot). The combination of curry powder with pumpkin and coconut is almost to good to be true. Here are the ingredients:

• Oil for cooking
• 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (1 teaspoon)
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
• 1½ cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15-ounce can, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk (light or full-fat will work)
• 1 cup water
• ½ lime

A couple of substitutions I usually make are chicken broth instead of water (this makes the recipe non-vegan, be aware) for extra flavor, sweet potatoes instead of tomatoes, onion powder instead of onion, adding chopped chicken, a few pinches of garam masala, and TONS more curry powder (I like it hot).

5. Ham Bone Bean Soup

This ham bone bean soup from Kevin Is Cooking is absolutely delicious and perfect for a cold winter day. It is a mixture of beans and ham in a slow-cooker soup, with approximately 8 hours prep time. Here is a list of the ingredients:

• 2 cups Bean Mix (See Note 1 in link)
• 2 lb smoked ham bone
• 5 bay leaves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 tbsp Tabasco Garlic Pepper Sauce
• Parsley for garnish

A couple of possible substitutions include

• Ham broth for ham bone
• Onion powder for onion (I know, I suggest this a lot)
• Chili Powder for Tabasco (2 tbsp should do it)

Give it a try, it is sure not to disappoint!

6. Loaded Sweet Potato Skins

These look delicious, right? A big heaping plate of crispy sweet potato skins with savory bacon and melted cheese is sure to warm you up in no time. This delicious snack recipe comes from Sally's Baking Addiction, and is said to be a real crowd pleaser! Here are the ingredients for this simple recipe:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup milk1
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ground pepper, to taste
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I use half sharp cheddar and half mozzarella)
• 4 strips bacon, cooked until crispy, and crumbled
• sour cream and chopped chives for serving

Give it a try!

7. Crockpot Little Smokies

Lil Smokies are a holiday party MUST. That is why I couldn't help but include this recipe from foodiecrush. They take a slightly unexpected twist on the classic lil-smokies recipe, but it is sure to be a delight. Here is the ingredient list:

• 4 14-ounce packages cocktail sausages
• 16-18 ounce bottle honey flavored barbecue sauce
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 1 12-ounce bottle lager beer

If you are under 21, the lager beer can be substituted for a non-alcoholic variety such as O'Douls, but this is only for purchasing purposes. The alcohol will evaporate entirely during the cooking process.

8. Gluhwein

Yes, I know, this recipe is for a drink. However, this drink is a German holiday tradition, and as we all know, the Germans KNOW food and drink. Gluhwein is a type of mulled spiced wine, served warm at Christmas markets all over Germany. This recipe from Food.com will definitely warm you up on a cold winter's night.

• 3⁄4 cup water (or orange juice)
• 3⁄4 cup white sugar (or less to taste)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 orange
• 10 whole cloves
• 1(750 ml) bottle red wine

If you are under 21, don't worry! There are non-alcoholic varieties of wine as well! Just check your local grocery stores, many will have it, especially around the holidays. If you simply can't find it, try substituting grape juice!

Stay warm out there, friends! If you have any additional recipes you would like to share, please link them in the comments below! Also, comment if you have tried any of these recipes, let me know how they worked out!