Simple Ways to Cozy Up Your Winter Evenings

Winter is my least favorite season and I do not like to be cold.  Hence, our move to Phoenix.  But.  It IS winter and I’m trying to get through it.  Honestly.  I have flowers blooming on the patio.  I’m out walking or running every day.  I even moved my office outdoors for some afternoon sun.  I think as winters go, I can make the best of it.  After all I am made of hearty pioneer stock.

What I do like about winter, however, is enjoying the dark early evenings to cozy up in my family room.  Here are my simple steps for enjoying cozy winter evenings.  And sometimes cozy early mornings too!

A Cup o’ Tea

I love tea.  I drink it all day long.  In the summer I add iced tea to the mix.  But I really cannot take the caffeine after noonish.  Okay, maybe 10ish.  Ha.

So I make myself a nice cup of decaf Earl Grey or some other spicy mix with citrus.  I save peppermint or chamomile for after dinner.  Those are clearly not afternoon brews!

Oh and by the way, my sips are more like gulps and one cup usually leads to two.

A Good Book

After my tea is brewed, I fire up my current book.  Meaning on my Kindle, of course.  If I’m drinking Earl Grey and reading a good mystery, I won’t be a bother to anyone.  I’ll stay in my little corner forever.

Plush Blankets

I have several fleece and plush blankets placed for easy access throughout the house.  Honestly any of them are fine with me, but I find that the cats really prefer the plushest ones.  The faux fur ones must act as surrogate mothers for them, because they get so happy kneading their little paws madly.

Reading and sipping (or gulping) tea is best done when curled up with a feline, so taking account of their feelings about blankets is quite important.

Candles

Too much scent is not necessary, but flickering candles, perhaps with the light scents of baking or honeysuckle, are hard to beat in the cozy factor.  I find I end up never lighting candles in the summer because by the time it gets dark enough to enjoy them, it’s my bedtime.

We really enjoy having candles lit for both their scent and the atmosphere they provide.  And during the winter I have one lit nightly.  Maybe even before it’s totally dark out.

Comfy Chair Next to the Fireplace

We have a gas fireplace, so while it may lack the charm of real crackling logs, it also lacks all the allergens and bugs those logs bring into my house.  With the flick of a switch, I’m ready to cuddle up.  If it gets a bit too hot, I hit the switch for a minute to cool down the room.

Oh, and at bedtime, dousing the fire takes one second.

Hot Soup

I eat soup all year round – not just winter, but to cozy up, there really is no better dinner.  And a little side of hot, crusty French bread?  Yes, please.

Fuzzy Socks

I have a collection of hideous fuzzy socks mostly thanks to my DS Susie who tucks them into care packages for me.  They usually feature Denver Broncos colors and logos or something cat related.  Although no fashion magazine will be dialing me up for advice, they really are the perfect weight for cool desert evenings.

They are considered part of my sexy evening wear.

These pair are sort of cute, don’t you think?

What I’m Eating

Hey, speaking of soup, I thought I would try a new recipe for a hearty chickpea and pasta soup.  I found this recipe on Leite’s Culinaria – a new site for me.  I made some substantial changes to the online recipe, but it easily lends itself to modification.  So feel comfortable using what you have and what you like.

My changes:

• Extra carrot
• Avocado spray instead of olive oil
• Sprig of rosemary removed after simmering instead of chopped rosemary
• Campanelle pasta instead of cavetelli pasta
• Cooked the pasta prior to adding to soup
• Added loosely chopped greens (I had beet tops) for the last five minutes of simmering
• No cheese or parsley on top

This vegetarian soup is delish.  I froze two containers for another day and I still have leftovers for tomorrow.  When it will taste better anyway.

Recommendation List. Check. Regular rotation. Check.

This is one of those posts that got a little long.  I’ll share more next week, but for now, happy weekend!  XO