New recipes delight me. Particularly the creative ones that really fit with the moods of the seasons. The recipes I’m sharing today all strike me as warm, inviting, and perfect for winter.

And they all have a creative or unusual twist — a little something special that makes them seem above average to me.

Hope you enjoy!

First up are Nourishing Vanilla Steamers by Kelly The Kitchen Kop. It’s like drinking hot cocoa, but with vanilla. I made these yesterday and LOVED them. They taste a bit like warm egg nog, minus the rum.

Next, you’ll love this savory Chicken & Shrimp Soup by Mark’s Daily Apple. A few of the ingredients are out of season right now, but you can use frozen or canned versions of them if you, like me, enjoy putting up your summer abundance.

Everybody has a favorite chili recipe. This is Elise’s from Simply Recipes. The things I like about her Chili Con Carne recipe are the bacon, the lime, and the chipotle chili powder. Doesn’t that just sound like it will be to die for?

The next winter wonder was shared by a Food Renegade reader in last week’s Fight Back Friday carnival. In case you missed it, I want you to check it out: Cottage Pie With Mashed Yams by Minneapolis Real Food Lover. I love savory sweet potato recipes, and I also love shepherd’s pie. This combines the two and looks mouthwatering.

And finally, I present a Black Bean Soup & Toasted Cumin Crema recipe from Smitten Kitchen. Toasted cumin sour cream! Need I say more? The black bean soup looks good (and could use a little Real Food buffing by allowing the beans to soak), but what I’m most in awe of is the creatively seasoned sour cream. Imagine it on top of all kinds of other savory dishes this winter. Doesn’t it sound amazing?

Liked what you read? You may find these other posts interesting:

1. Homemade Taco Seasoning
2. Southwest Mussel Chowder
3. Caveman Chili And The Garden of Eating
4. Weekly Meal Plan July 13th
5. Real Food LOVE