Hearty Winter Fare

Nothing satisfies a hearty appetite more on a cold winter day than a hot, home-cooked meal. A rib-sticking stew served with fresh-baked biscuits will conquer any hunger, regardless of the weather.

While thumbing through the dozens of recipes American Profile receives each week, we thought these two were a perfect combination for a nourishing evening dinner.

Winter stew delight, a recipe submitted by reader Lee R. Sauers of Mifflinburg, Pa., is not your typical one-pot oven entreé. Sauers’ dish uses Italian sausage in place of the usual beef, plus it contains beans, cabbage, and tomatoes in addition to the vegetables found in most stews.

“It’s a very good stew, and is easy to make,” Sauers says. “It has been in my family for a long time.”

Serve Sauers’ stew with a batch of Charlotte A. Bryant’s whipping cream biscuits and you’ve got a meal. “I can’t make biscuits the way mama used to make them, but I have good luck with these melt-in-your-mouth biscuits,” says Bryant of Greensburg, Ky. “They are a breeze to make, and my family really enjoys them.”

Winter Stew Delight - Lee R. Sauers, Mifflinburg, Pa.

• 1 small head cabbage, chopped
• 4 medium onions, diced
• 4 medium potatoes, diced
• 1 28-ounce can tomatoes, diced
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 pounds Italian sausage, fried and drained
• 4 cups beef or chicken broth
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1 15-ounce can beans (kidney, black, or pinto)
• salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large, oven-proof stew pot. Cover and bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours until tender, stirring occasionally. If necessary, add more broth or tomato juice. Serve with homemade bread or biscuits. Drizzle with vinegar if desired.

Tips From Our Test Kitchen: Season with chopped basil, sage, or chives. This recipe yields several gallons of delicious stew, which freezes beautifully.

Whipping Cream Biscuits - Charlotte A. Bryant, Greensburg, Ky.

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/3 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup whipping cream, plus 1 tablespoon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons flour (to dust rolling surface)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine first four ingredients in a mixing bowl. Cut in butter, using a pastry blender, until texture resembles cornmeal. Add whipping cream and stir until dry ingredients are moist. Shape into a ball. Dust flat surface with extra flour. Knead dough five or six times. Roll out dough until it is 1/2-inch thick. Cut with a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden. Makes 10 biscuits.

Tips From Our Test Kitchen: These biscuits are ideal for breakfast, served with stews and soups, and to show off homemade preserves.

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