Question of the day
Friday, Jan 23, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* The Tribune…
Polar vortexes are a year-round phenomenon. But Chicago-area residents only notice them when they collapse, experts say.
That’s what’s happening starting Thursday when dangerously frigid air from Siberia and the North Pole is forecast to plunge the Great Lakes region into subzero territory for multiple days.
* WSIL…
We’ve been closely watching the developing weather pattern, and I want to share what we’re seeing for our area. A Winter Storm Watch has now been issued for our entire region as we prepare for a significant shift in the weather. Today, we’re experiencing mild conditions with southwest winds, and any lingering rain this morning is pushing off to the southeast.
As we head into tonight, a cold front is expected to sweep through, turning our winds around to the north and northwest. Looking ahead to tomorrow, we’ll see cooler temperatures, with highs likely in the upper 30s to lower 40s, and we’ll remain under a broad cyclonic influence aloft, which will keep us unsettled.
* WGLT…
The National Weather Service [NWS] has elevated Friday’s deep freeze to an Extreme Cold Warning, with wind chills expected to fall to 25 to 30 degrees below zero.
The deep freeze is expected to be followed by accumulating snow over the weekend.
The warning is in effect from 3 a.m. to noon for McLean, Livingston, Woodford, Tazewell, Peoria, Marshall, Stark and Knox counties.
* The Question: What are your favorite go-to recipes when it’s really cold outside? Rich and I have both been using this leek and potato soup recipe lately, but with added touches (more cream, more potatoes, etc.). He made a big batch for my grandma (his mom) over the weekend. Anyway, we’re both looking for new ideas, so don’t just tell us what you make. We’re looking for how you make them, or at least your special touches. Thanks!
- Help me - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 12:24 pm:
Sloppy Joes. 2 lbs hamburger, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp vinegar, 1/2 cup Guinness, 1/4 cup parsley flakes, 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce, 1 tbsp dry mustard, 1 medium onion, 1 cup chili sauce, 1 small green pepper, 1/4 cup lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix all ingredients after browning meat and draining fat. Cook 1 hour. Add to toasted brioche bun.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 12:27 pm:
I also made my parents some beef barley soup that my dad absolutely loves and my mom said was the best soup I’ve ever made.
It combines a couple, two-tree recipes, but the basic one is here: https://www.seriouseats.com/beef-barley-soup-recipe
The soup bone is key. I also like the broth to be very dark and rich, so red wine glazing and worcestershire sauce are important. That linked recipe says to use chicken stock, but I use Better than Bouillon beef. Just be careful of the salt levels, but the dark color and the flavor are intense. My mom (Isabel’s grandma) has been sick and needs to gain weight. She’s done that since I made the two soups (beef barley and potato leek) last weekend.
Adding lemon juice at the end seems to brighten up my soups, so I do that a lot. Also, I grow rosemary and thyme both outside and inside, and they’re fabulous adds.
- JS Mill - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 1:06 pm:
Not a recipe but my cold weather go to is Campbells chunky sirloin burger soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. That has been my favorite since 1st grade and still is.
- Pius - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 1:13 pm:
Caldo Verde. Portuguese sausage potato and kale soup. Delicious.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 1:16 pm:
=== Delicious===
Then please tell us why. This is not intended to be a list. It’s about how you make it.
- clec dcn - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 1:23 pm:
Incredibly simple and good. Get Chicken Potstickers at Sams club. Put 8 in good nonstick pan coat with olive oil. Add a touch of water get them almost done coated crisper and darker. Then add 4 oz can of mushrooms. Add basil I use a lot. Then get some Green Giant Brussell Spouts in microwave bag and cook them. Add the cooked Brussell Spouts to the skillet with the Potstickers and mushrooms. Toss a bit of olive oil over the top and add romano cheese as you like. Eat with some homemade sourdough bread. This is easy takes 20 minutes and I just eat it out of the pan. It is great hot and tasty. I suggest a beer to wash it down hopefully that won’t get me banned. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale the best choice.
- Pius - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 1:29 pm:
Chop up one large yellow or white onion. Fry in couple TB of oil until clear. Add couple chopped garlic cloves if you like. Add chopped up 4 italian or andouille sausage and cook until browned. Remove sausage. Add 32 ounces of broth (I usually use chicken). Peel and cube 4-6 russet potatoes. Add to soup. Cook until potatoes are soft. Use a potato masher to smash up to half of the cube potatoes (not all of them!) I use a solid wooden masher. This makes the soup creamier. Add sausage and heat until all hot. Take bunch of kale and slice and dice it. Add at the last minute and cook until it wilts-it will not take long. Serve with sourdough bread. The secret is to not over cooking, find your favorite sausage and mashing only half of the potatoes.
- btowntruthfromforgottonia - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 1:31 pm:
Chili.
At least a pound of ground beef or ground beef and sausage or ground beef/pork mix.
1-2 cans of chili beans
Small can of tomato paste.
Chili powder and 1 package of mild or regular chili seasoning.
- OutOfState - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 1:33 pm:
Pumpkin soup - most recipes don’t include cayenne or cinnamon, but they’re musts for me. Both to taste obviously, but you really only need a little cinnamon (between a dash and 1/2 tsp depending on your batch size). They add warmth and depth, which really elevate the soup.
To Rich’s point about lemon juice in soups, I also like adding wine vinegars to pan sauces and broth based soups. I’m making chicken cacciatore tonight, and I’m looking forward to using miso and white wine vinegar for a rich and bright sauce. Especially with some potatoes mixed in - perfect for a cold night
- Slugger O’Toole - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 2:04 pm:
For my money (and this doesn’t take a lot) I’ll make split pea soup every time. Freezes well and I’m the only one in my house that will eat it so it makes for many great cold night dinners.
1 package (16 ounces) dried green split peas, 1 meaty ham bone, 1 large onion, chopped, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 cup chopped carrot,1 cup chopped celery
Rinse peas and put in Dutch oven with 2-3 quarts water. Add ham bone, onion, salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer for about an hour. Remove ham bone and chop meat. Return ham with carrots and celery to soup. Simmer another 45 minutes or so until thickened a bit. Remove bay leaf and serve with bread for sopping evenly everything up.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 2:09 pm:
===split pea soup===
Been wanting to make that for weeks. Thanks for the recipe (banned punctuation mark)
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 2:25 pm:
I make boeuf bourguignon but with cheap chianti from Aldi, so I guess it is boeuf chianti. Great on a cold day with mashed potatoes. Fry bacon, brown cuts of beef in the bacon fat, soften some carrots and onions, put it all together to braise with wine and beef stock. Add sauteed mushrooms to add at the end. I don’t like the pearl onions. After a few hours in the over at 350, serve the stew over the mashed potatoes. Thyme, parsley, or bay leaves and salt and pepper for seasoning. Lots of cream and butter in the mash.
- twowaystreet - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 2:26 pm:
Love to see the Serious Eats nod. We also have a crowd pleaser from Serious Eats that we are going to make this weekend: https://www.seriouseats.com/vegan-garbanzos-con-espinacas-jengibre-spinach-chickpea-stew-ginger-spanish
The Chickpea stew is really good vegan, but most of the time we add some cooked chorizo towards the end, which makes it pop. There’s a local grocer in Chicago that makes a Chorizo verde in-house, and that is perfection in this dish.
Also, ignore him saying the Sherry vinegar is optional as a garnish. It is a necessary finishing touch.
- yinn - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 3:05 pm:
For potato soup I start with olive oil and butter, the biggest onion I can find, garlic in whatever form, a package of chicken sausage with chipotle and Monterey jack cheeses (Marketside brand from Wal-Mart), Better than Bouillon Roast Chicken to make about 3 cups of broth, and a can of coconut milk. 4-6 potatoes. Cayenne, not much because of the spicy sausage, but a bit for overall warmth. Near the end of cooking, I throw either a bag of baby spinach or frozen chopped spinach in. If the soup is too soupy to suit, I use a handful of potato flakes to thicken it (Bob’s Red Mill because it’s potato and nothing else).
- Mom - Friday, Jan 23, 26 @ 5:07 pm:
Rich, your soups are the best but the beef barley is absolutely number one.