Must Haves: For a Minnesota winter

10. Recipes for soup. And chili. And stews. I'm talking about food that a) makes your house smell great, b) doesn't break the bank to make - uses staples from your pantry and freezer, c) can be a one-pot meal, d) satisfies your need for a hot meal, and e) freezes well. I have my go-to recipes: tomato soup, black bean soup, turkey chili, chicken posole, chicken cacciatore. They're a little different every time I make them - that's part of the fun, imo. But when I want a new idea, I consult one of several soup cookbooks in my library. Those of you who live in the Twin Cities may remember, from the Pre-FiG days, Soup Night at our house. I'm a big fan of soup. Without waxing poetic about it, I will just say that on a cold winter day...and even on a 40F rainy day like today...a hot bowl of soup with a hunk of bread is a great way to wind down for the evening. You can get it all in a bowl of homemade soup, chili, or stew: protein, carbs, veggies, fiber - without the fat and sodium of something from a shelf in the grocery store. And there are more recipes that you can possibly make in a lifetime to choose from.