Hello friends! Long time no chat! First off, I would like to say HAPPY NEW YEAR! I had a lot of fun this past holiday season, and I hope you all did too! I'm really excited to be bringing more content on this blog, even though I've been severely neglecting you all for so long.... Life just gets crazy sometimes, even I can't keep up with it!

Anyways, in recent events, winter storm Jonas just hit basically the entire East Coast... of course, except from where I live downward. I have a ton of family and friends up north who got hit pretty bad, and were complaining. In my opinion, I would have loved to be snowed in and gotten a snow day off of work... But, I digress.

I know whenever my family and I got snowed in, our usual comfort foods were as follows: chicken noodle soup, a block of cheddar cheese, and homemade hot chocolate. My mom had such a way with making that hot cocoa that my sister and I used to go nuts for. 

Looking back on it now, I probably would: 1) be too lazy to make hot cocoa from scratch, and 2) be afraid that it wouldn't be as awesome as my mom's. Also, some traditions get outdated. Which is why I thought of the great idea to bring 5 of my favorite food/drink recipes from Pinterest! Now, some of these I have not yet tried, but I know it would be a huge hit in my household, especially with my 8-year-old sister. I hope you guys use these recipes to your advantage the rest of this winter!

"Birthday Cake Hot Chocolate", by BiteMeMore

Now, I know I said hot cocoa is outdated, but this fun twist on the classic could bring it back to life! Also, it looks like some of the ingredients could possibly be already in your homes! If you have little ones in your household, this one would be perfect!

"Skinny Pumpkin Spice Latte", by Jeanette's Healthy Living

Alright, I know what you're thinking, "Doesn't she know pumpkin is a fall food?" Yeah, I know it is. For the PSL fans out there, this seasonal drink never ends. I have made one of my own, and it is probably so much better than shelling out $5 for one at Starbucks. Whenever I think of pumpkin, I think of coziness and warmth, hence my reasoning for putting it on this list. It's also great for those who are trying to cut back on the calories and actually trying to keep that New Years resolution!

"Cake Batter Blondies" by Sally's Baking Addiction

Whenever I think of comfort, my mind goes to brownies. As a person who doesn't eat too much chocolate (don't judge, fam), I think these blondies are so perfect! I have always loved blondies, and these cake batter ones sound like a match-made in heaven. Come on, let's be real for a second: we have all eaten raw cake batter at some point. Why not just stick it into a blondie? Also, think of the cute Instagrams you could make with this!

Going towards the more savory side, kielbasa is such an amazing dinner for cold, winter nights! I had my first taste of it recently, and I was obsessed! I'm a sucker for sausage and cheese, and this was absolutely perfect. The mac and cheese style of this one sounds phenomenal! It's a good recipe to change up your dinner menu!

"Empanaditas / Pastelitos" by Aunt Clara's Cooking

Alright, this last one goes out to my roots. Going up to the city to visit my family was such a treat because of these little guys. I have practically grown up on these, and it was all the more special taking a bite out of a cheesy pastelito while watching the snow fall in New York. They're pretty easy to make, and you can put almost anything in there: pork, cheese... you name it! They're totally customizable!

What do you guys like to consume when the weather outside is frightful? Let me know in the comments below!

Yours truly,

Leighan