Try these cozy recipes for chilly January evenings

The new year always sneaks up on me, like my dog Lacey slipping her ball into my lap so I will throw it. After the holidays, with the twinkle lights still up and half a tin of cookies left on the counter, I’m usually looking for cozy, simple recipes — something that makes everyone smile when they see what’s for dinner. That’s one of my resolutions this year: to come up with more easy and delicious dinners that feel like a warm hug at the end of a chilly day.

January is usually cold in Coshocton — the kind of cold that makes your breath hang in the air like little clouds. But this year we have something new to enjoy: a skating rink right in the heart of town. You can hear laughter and the scrape of skates echoing off the old brick buildings. After a fun afternoon spinning and wobbling on the ice (and maybe falling once or twice), a three-ingredient stovetop mac and cheese is the perfect way to warm up. It’s cheesy, creamy and even quicker to make than the familiar blue box version — plus it feels like you’re treating yourself to something special after an active day.

If you’re looking for something just as comforting but even faster, try this viral sheet pan lasagna. It’s ready in just 30 minutes — a miracle compared to traditional lasagna, which usually requires an afternoon and a kitchen full of pots. This version has crispy edges, melty ricotta cheese on top and the kind of aroma that brings everyone wandering into the kitchen asking, “Is that lasagna I smell?” It’s sure to become a family favorite, especially when time is tight but the craving for comfort food strikes.

And for dessert, treat yourself and your family to something fun that requires no cooking — just a few hours in the fridge to set. Imagine thin chocolate chip cookies layered with clouds of whipped cream and either mascarpone or cream cheese, stacked up into a cake that looks far fancier than the effort involved. As the cookies soak up the cream, each slice turns into a dreamy, soft treat that tastes like you spent all day baking. It’s the kind of dessert that makes kids (and grown-ups) sneak into the fridge for an extra bite after dinner.

THREE-INGREDIENT STOVETOP MAC AND CHEESE

6 ounces elbow macaroni

Salt

6 ounces evaporated milk

6 ounces grated mild or medium cheddar cheese or any good melting cheese such as Fontina, Gruyère or Jack

Place macaroni in a medium saucepan or skillet and add just enough cold water to cover. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Continue to cook, stirring, until water has been almost completely absorbed and macaroni is just shy of al dente, about 6 minutes.

Immediately add evaporated milk and bring to a boil. Add cheese. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring continuously, until cheese is melted and liquid has reduced to a creamy sauce, about 2 minutes longer. Season to taste with more salt and serve immediately.

If you are willing to kick the total ingredients up to more than three, try a good dash of hot sauce, some mustard powder or a little knob of butter stirred in with the evaporated milk.

(Adapted from www.seriouseats.com/ingredient-stovetop-mac-and-cheese-recipe.)

VIRAL SHEET PAN LASAGNA

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 container (5 ounces) of baby spinach

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 pound lasagna pasta broken into 2-inch pieces

1 pound spicy Italian sausage (or regular or ground beef), casings removed

1 red onion, diced

4 cups jarred marinara sauce

2 1/2 cups shredded low-moisture mozzarella, divided

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant (about 30-60 seconds), then toss in the baby spinach. Sprinkle with the salt and sauté until the spinach has wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Remove the spinach from the skillet and combine it with the ricotta cheese in a mixing bowl, then set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, toss in the broken pasta pieces and cook the pasta until al dente — about 4-5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, heat another 2 tablespoons of olive oil in that same skillet over medium heat and cook the sausage for about 5 minutes. Toss in the onions and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Add the marinara sauce, half a cup of pasta water, cooked pasta, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 a cup of Parmesan cheese to the skillet. Stir to combine.

Spread the mixture onto a 12-by-17-inch baking sheet. Add dollops of the ricotta-spinach mixture on top. Sprinkle the tops with the rest of the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the top lightly browned.

(Adapted from www.tasteofhome.com/article/you-need-to-try-giada-de-laurentiis-viral-crispy-sheet-pan-lasagna-recipe/.)

MOCHA CHOCOLATE ICEBOX CAKE

2 cups heavy cream, cold

12 ounces mascarpone cheese or cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 packages (8 ounces) of chocolate chip cookies (Ina recommends Tate’s Bake Shop cookies, which are thin and crispy rather than soft-baked)

Shaved semisweet chocolate, for garnish

Add the heavy cream, mascarpone, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder and vanilla to the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a whisk attachment. With your mixer on its lowest setting, stir till combined, then gradually increase the speed and beat until the mixture is light, fluffy and forms stiff peaks.

In the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan, arrange a layer of cookies. Break up a few to fill in as many gaps as you can.

Top the cream with a second layer of cookies, followed by a second layer of cream. Repeat the layers, in an alternating fashion, ending with a final layer of cream on top.

Cover the cake tightly with plastic and then chill in the refrigerator 12 hours or overnight.

Run a knife around the rim of the cake to loosen the edges and then carefully remove the sides of the springform pan. Finish the icebox cake with a generous sprinkling of chocolate shavings, slice and serve.

(Adapted from www.tasteofhome.com/article/we-made-ina-gartens-mocha-chocolate-icebox-cake/.)