Lidia Bastianich's best winter recipes

No matter if looking for recipe ideas for a snow day, Christmas itself, or some random Tuesday, Lidia Bastianich is one of the most reliable chefs, food personalities and recipe developers around. 

As the weather reaches especially low temperatures and you want to curl up with something especially comforting as the flurries start to come down, look no further than Bastianich's terrific recipes. 

This list has an assortment of ingredients and protein choices, but each one feels festive, filling and entirely delicious. 

Some of these dishes can make for an excellent center piece on Christmas Day, New Years Eve, a Hannukah evening or any other special occasion, holiday or not. 

We couldn't recommend them enough. But as always, don't feel like you need to follow every single ingredient and step to a T. Especially this season, give yourself some grace and use — with common sense — what you already have on hand. No need to trek out in the cold. 

01 Clams Oreganata

Clams oreganata is a holiday non-negotiable for my family; usually both clams oreganata and stuffed mushrooms are welcome starters on our annual Christmas spread.

 

Simple, quick and wildly flavorful, clams oreganata (or any protein made in an oreganta manner) is a terrific appetizer or hors d'oeuvres to get things going, to whet your guests' appetites, or to simply enjoy on your own, nestled on the couch while watching your favorite holiday movie. These come together in no time at all and call for only the best ingredients: clams, garlic, evoo, white wine, lemon, butter, breadcrumbs and lots of fresh herbs.

 

Also, no utensils required! 

02 Baked Ziti with Eggplant and Ricotta

Baked ziti is welcome any day of the year, but an especially gussied up version is really delicious on a holiday - especially one with lots and lots of crispy bits and edges. It's also a favorite crowd pleaser that happens to also feed a crowd. Don't skimp on the ricotta here, and of course, feel free to amp up the cheese all the more.

 

Have rigatoni on hand and not ziti? Have tons of zucchini but no eggplant? No worries, any swap is fine here. 

03 Roasted Pork Shoulder with Vegetable Sauce

Any carnivores will be especially fond of this particularly festive centerpiece. Fatty, crisped pork shoulder — which can be shredded into a carnitas-type manner or served in chunks or thick slices — is taken to another level with each spoonful of savory, rich vegetable sauce. Roasting everything together allows all of the flavors to mingle together. The recipe calls for onions, carrots, leeks, celery, mushrooms and lots of herbs, spices and wine, but if you have other vegetables languishing on the counter, chop 'em up and throw those in, too. Why not?

 

Bonus: the sandwiches made from leftovers will blow you away. 

04 Striped Bass with Tomato Pesto

Whole fish is always a showstopper and you'll impress everyone with this picture-esque fish dish with an amazingly unassuming yet delicious tomato pesto served alongside. This can also be served on its own volition or with your favorite, go-to holiday potatoes, carbs or starch. 

 

This is an exercise in simplicity so use your discretion not to gild the lily too much! You want the flavor of the fish itself to be the starring component.

05 Roasted Cranberries and Pears over ice cream

This is a quintessential Christmas dessert, from color and flavor to the heady, stellar aromas that'll waft through the house as this is in the oven.

 

Get some store-bought ice cream (or pick some up from your favorite local ice cream shoppe or parlor), throw this in the oven as you're eating dinner and then pull it out and let it cool slightly before spooning over scoops of your absolutely favorite ice cream, frozen yogurt or sorbet. 

 

This is an especially low lift but an. astonishingly satisfying end cap to your holiday meal, with flavors of roasted fruit and savory, warming spices mixing perfectly with a cool, refreshing base.