Keeping warm from the chill

In Canada the clocks went back an hour yesterday so now I go to work in the dark and before the workday is over the outside world has returned to darkness once more. This in combination with the cold and rain is enough to spread not only a chill through the bones, but also a bit of sadness and despair as well. A quick fix to this is a relaxing hot bath or shower with your favourite scents. However, for an afternoon treat, I like to make a cup of delicious steaming hot chocolate. I prefer mine made with real chocolate chips and I conveniently had some left over from cookies I made recently. I heated up a mug of milk and added a tablespoon of white chocolate drops, stirring until the chocolate was melted. To finish off this delightful treat I added a couple of bite-size chocolates because you can never have too much chocolate.

Dinnertime provides another opportunity to make something quick and easy that warms you right through to your fingers and toes. This is a basic chicken noodle soup that my mum used to make for my siblings and I when we were younger. You could add vegetables if you like and turn it into a chicken noodle and vegetable soup, but I like the simpler things sometimes. To make approximately 2 bowls' worth of soup, I boiled 3 cups of water with a pinch of salt and a dash of oil. I added 4 - 5 teaspoons of chicken stock powder and half a chicken breast that had been diced and cooked. Lastly, half a cup of orzo pasta is stirred into the saucepan and it is cooked for about 9 minutes. I personally like to have the orzo ever so slightly undercooked and I finish it off with a splash of lemon juice to taste.      

Hey presto, two easy ways to keep warm against the chill and provide the foundations to inspire further creativity as the weather only gets colder. Don't forget to rug up nice and warm.