It’s starting to get chilly outside, isn’t it? As Halloween and Bonfire Night are now over, we are officially in the run-up to Christmas! And with darker days and colder climates, these dishes promise comfort like a nice warm hug. These recipes can be made from TheStudios kitchen, and many of them can be batch-cooked to provide you with tomorrow’s lunch.
So cosy up with these foolproof winter warmers that are super tasty, and as vibrant as the leaves outside. Whether you reckon you’re the next Masterchef Finalist or beans on toast is your forte, check out these seasonal recipes.
*Timings may vary depending on how much of a perfectionist you are, and what kind of day you’ve had.*
1. Smokey Chicken Thigh Tray Bake
Time: 45 mins – 1 hour
Good for: When you’ve had a ‘shove it all in the oven’ kind of day
Ingredients:
- Chicken thighs
- Red onions, peeled and chopped into large chunks
- Bacon, cut into strips (opt – smokey bacon)
- Baking potato, chopped into large wedges
- Opt: Chopped carrots
- Olive oil
- Knob of butter
- Rosemary (or mixed herbs)
- Smoked paprika
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
- In a large bowl, add the bacon, chopped potato and red onions. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil and add the butter, paprika, rosemary/herbs, and some salt and pepper. Toss the bacon and veggies in this mixture until coated. If you’ve got any spare veg lying around, now’s the time to throw it in!
- Add this to an oiled baking sheet
- Position the chicken thighs on top of the mixture. Add a little paprika, salt and pepper to cover the chicken.
- Bake for 45 minutes, checking occasionally.
- Opt: Add the bacon a little later, if you don’t want it overly crispy!
This one is the ultimate all-in-one winter BBQ! We recommend adding smoked paprika generously to really taste the smokiness of the dish.) A ‘straight in the oven’ job means less washing up, and way less fuss. Plus, a tasty and healthy dinner that makes loads – perfect if you’re cooking with a friend. If you’re eating alone, save some for tomorrow’s dinner, or for when ‘shove it in the oven’ becomes ‘shove it in the microwave.’
2. Honey Roasted Butternut Squash
Time: 30 minutes
Good for: Adding colour to a grey day, healthy side dish, savoury-sweet taste buds, Sundays.
Ingredients:
- Butternut squash, peeled and chopped
- Olive oil
- Honey/maple syrup (vegan option)
- Cinnamon
- Rosemary
Method:
- Preheat the oven
- Add the chopped squash, syrup/honey, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and rosemary to a large mixing bowl
- Drizzle olive oil generously, and mix until the butternut squash is covered evenly
- Bake for 15 minutes, and then give the cubes a good turn over. Bake for 15 minutes until the squash is tender.
Sweet and colorful autumn side dish, with some added cinnamon to remind you it’s mulled wine season! For extra buttery butternut, add…butter.
Want to bulk it out into the main meal? Add some chicken cubes, bacon, and green beans to make it a batch meal that you can eat for lunch in the week. Serve with rice.
3. Spicy Salmon with Roasted Parsnip
Time: 45 minutes
Good for: Health kicks, spicy cravings, weeknights
Ingredients:
- Salmon
- Harissa spice
- Parsnips
- Cumin
- Thyme
- Garlic
- Cajun spice
- Lemon juice
- Opt: for an extra kick, add a chopped fresh chili or chilli flakes to your parsnip!
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180-200 degrees
- Peel the parsnip and chop into batons
- Mix the chopped parsnip with thyme, garlic, cumin, olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl to cover all the chunks evenly
- Add the parsnips to a roasting tray, and place in the oven when it’s heated
- Leave the parsnips for 30 minutes
- Place the salmon on a baking tray or ceramic roasting dish
- Add a splash of fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. Add harissa spices generously.
- Add a little cajun spice too, and rub the mixture into the top skin of the salmon. Cover it with foil.
- After the parsnip has been cooking for 15 minutes, add the salmon to the oven. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Check your salmon is cooked all the way through before serving.
You can serve this with just about anything! Salad, quinoa, rice, couscous, coleslaw, tzatziki, pitta bread…
This easy salmon dish is mouthwateringly delicious and is so versatile that you can serve it with anything! Also, it’s super healthy and filling. A winner dinner all around.
4. Seasonal Party Pizzas
Time: Varies depending on topping
Good for: Mixing it up a bit, Christmas party cooking, having friends round, hangovers.
Ingredients:
- Pizza bases
- Garlic, herbs, salt and pepper
Read the instructions on your pizza bases – you might need to partially bake before adding any toppings.
Topping combinations
- Pigs in blankets
Method: - Cook the pigs in blankets first
- Spread the pizza sauce over the pizza base
- Add mozzerella, cooked pigs in blankets, salt, pepper, and garlic granules
- Opt – drizzle some BBQ sauce over it!
- Bake in the oven at 190 for 7-8 minutes.
Brie, Cranberry and Pecan
Method:
- Ditch the pizza sauce for cranberry sauce instead
- Add generous amounts of brie inbetween
- Sprinkle some chopped pecans or walnuts over the top
- Bake in the oven at 190 for 7-8 minutes
Maple Sausages
Method:
- Fry off sausages in oil, maple syrup, salt
- Add pizza sauce to the base
- Add any cheese of your choice
- Chop up the fried sausages and divide over the pizza
- Place in the oven at 190 for 7-8 minutes
Some unconventional pizzas for an unconventional year! Lower your eyebrows folks, don’t knock them ’til you try them!
5. As Easy as Pumpkin Pie
Time: 1 hour cook time, 5 minute prep time
Good for: A sweet tooth, coffee & cake, catch ups, Netflix snacking, reading
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup of sugar
- 1 tin of pumpkin (15oz)
- 2 beaten eggs
- 1 1/4 cups evaporated milk
- Pinch salt
- Pie crust
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (if you can’t get your hands on this anywhere, then go for a blend of cloves, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg)
- Opt: pumpkin seeds
Method:
- Heat the oven to 190
- Blend together the sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, salt, pumpkin and spices to a smooth consistency with minimal lumps. For extra speed, use a food processor or hand blender to mix the ingredients together.
- Add the mixture to the pie crust
- When the oven has heated, bake for 30 minutes
- Reduce the temperature of the oven to and bake for another 20 minutes
- Refrigerate for a couple of hours, or serve it warm.
- Opt: Add some pumpkin seeds/walnuts to the top of the pie, and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Serve warm or cold with a dollop of cream and a warming cuppa.
Check Out the Kitchen Space!
Our shared kitchen spaces are perfect for making any of these lovely recipes! With modern interiors, dining space, and storage space, they contain all the essentials you need for cooking up tasty food.
To browse some more photos of our modern interiors at TheStudios, take a look at our gallery. And if you fancy a really good nose around, take the full 360 tour!
Have a great weekend everyone and bon appetit!
