This winter is certainly reminding us what we have forgotten about the months between December and whenever spring shows up.

The snow that was predicted for an afternoon debut showed up by early morning. The day was dark, and the snow started to fill corners around the house, as it blew around.

The quiet yielded only the sounds of the birds who were looking for food before the blanket of snow covered everything.

As always, the Cardinals are bright, red stand-out sights against the white snow on the ground, and perched on snowy branches, in the bushes.

It was a bit of shoveling and sliding to get the guys from school. There is something about driving home carefully in a snowstorm, that makes it even nicer to come home, drop our bags, and end the day.

It can continue to snow as we’re settled inside.

What did the guys want for dinner? Tomato soup.

Their idea of warm-me-up-from-the-inside food on a cold day is a bowl of tomato soup, with a mound of tangy sour cream right in the middle of the bowl, like its own snow drift.

Place a bulb of shallot and 2 gloves of garlic in a cold pan with some extra-virgin-olive-oil and slowly warm. When they just start to brown in 2-3 minutes, remove and empty a can of tomato puree into the pan and the infused oil.

Stir, and add some salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Simmer for about 5 minutes on low. remove from heat, and add some light cream. Pour once around the pan and stir.

To serve, spoon sour cream into bowls. Ladle tomato soup around the sour cream. Time for fresh chives. Chop and sprinkle on top.

When dinner was over we baked some chocolate chip cookies and had mugs of hot cocoa by the fire. There will be many mugs in our future as this cold is going to hang around for some time.

A bright spot for this time of year? It’s citrus season! To celebrate, head over to Parade for my winter citrus salad. Stay warm!

http://www.parade.com/255002/aliceknisleymatthias-2/perk-up-winter-with-a-bright-citrus-salad/