Out of All the Dinners I’ve Made in 2024, This Is By Far the Most Comforting (an

I think I’ve cooked somewhere around 240 dinners this year. And I’m not ashamed to admit that many, if not most, nights I’m extremely lazy. The less shopping, chopping, waiting, and dishwashing I need to do, the better. If you are also a fan of delightfully quick and easy recipes, I swear by these:

1. One-Pan Tuscan Chicken (our most popular chicken recipe!)

2. 15-Minute Egg Roll Bowls

3. 5-Ingredient Honey Garlic Salmon

4. Garlic Parmesan Chicken Bites

5. Cacio e Pepe Cabbage (served alongside some sort of protein!)

During winter, though, I’m willing to up the cooking time required to optimize on cozy. Enter: braising, my favorite way to prepare dinner when it’s cold out. If you need a refresher on what the heck braising even is, it’s simply searing something (often meat) quickly over high heat then gently simmering it in liquid. The results are juicy, and fall-apart tender. It takes a while, but (and this is a big but!), it’s usually really hands-off and easy.

I love our chicken tinga recipe for these reasons, and French onion pot roast is still on my to-do list. But my current fave is beef tips and gravy. 

Get the recipe: Beef Tips and Gravy

What’s So Amazing About Beef Tips and Gravy

First things first, you don’t need to buy “beef tips.” That term generally refers to sirloin tips (aka “bavette” or “flap meat”) but can be hard to find. And if you get a roast that’s similarly named, you might end up with tough results. Instead, use boneless beef chuck, a budget-friendly option that’s readily available and will yield the meatiest, “meltingly tender” results.

The meat simmers in a brown gravy that packs a punch of flavor from soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and dried thyme. It’s smooth, verging on kinda creamy (without a drop of dairy) but not too rich. I eat it straight from the Dutch oven with a spoon and basically crave it once a week. 

I love braised beef tips most over mashed potatoes, but more often I’m serving it over egg noodles. I imagine it’s also top-notch alongside polenta or roasted potatoes.

What’s your favorite cozy winter dinner? Let me know in the comments below!

Get the recipe: Beef Tips and Gravy

Further Reading

Why People Are Ditching Their Seltzer After a Disturbing Study

The One Cookware Brand That Gordon Ramsay Can’t Stop Talking About

Le Creuset Launched a Pan That’s Perfect for Everything from Stews to Stir-Fry — and It’s Already on Sale