It's the time of year when the best dinners are made with love and served at home. Give the dining scene (and Takeout Taxi) a night off and break out the cookware and the nice china. Need inspiration? We asked chefs at some of the best places around town for their favorite cold-weather recipes, and they delivered. Go ahead, try on your own chef's hat. If it doesn't turn out how you hope, the real deal is just a short drive away. For our second gathering, we have more soups (duh) plus a couple comfort foods that hit the spot when it's cold just as well.

Chez Nous's Soup au Fromage, by co-owner Scott Simonson

INGREDIENTS:

1 leek, whites only

1 large yellow onion

2 tbsp. butter (the more milk fat, the better)

1 tbsp. garlic, chopped

1 qt. rich chicken stock

1# comte

1# tomme de savoie

½ cup to 1 cup Kirschwasser (cherry brandy)

Salt and white pepper.

PREPARATION:

Wash leeks and dice small along with yellow onion, sweat leeks and onions in the butter, covered on low, for about an hour. (You want to get a nice bit of natural juice from the steam). 

Add the garlic and increase heat to medium, stirring to get garlic going about 5 min. You do not want any color from caramelizing on the vegetables.

Deglaze with ½ cup Kirschwasser and add stock, bring to boil then reduce to a soft boil. 

Have your cheese cut in small pieces and start adding it into soup slowly while stirring constantly. 

Once all the cheese is added, season with salt & pepper to taste and remove from heat. 

This soup may look like its broken, that’s ok because were going blend it now. Once blended, check the taste and add more Kirschwasser and salt/pepper if necessary.

Serve with julienne Belgian endive and toasted walnuts along with some good crunchy bread! 

Get a Vin de Savoie, Roussette or Appremont, or if you must stray from the region, any bone dry white should do.

Gigi's Asian Bistro's Poor Man's Noodles, by executive chef Junnajet Hurapan

INGREDIENTS:
½ cup oil
5 sliced assorted mushrooms
2 oz. garlic chives, batton
½ oz. sliced shallots
½ tsp. red chili flakes
3 cut cherry tomatos
½ oz. bean sprouts
1 lb. sliced beef
1 lb. cut 1-inch chow fun noodles
2 tsp. mushroom soy sauce

PREPARATION:
In a wok, add the oil and heat
When hot sear the mushrooms and beef until golden
Add the shallots and cook until tender
Add the garlic chives, cherry tomato, bean sprout and the chili and wilt slightly
Season with salt, pepper and mushroom soy sauce

Backstreet Cafe's Meatloaf Tower, by chef Hugo Ortega

Meatloaf
1 lb. ground veal
1 lb. ground beef
4 whole eggs
¼ cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. ground oregano
¼ cup parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Beat eggs and mix with other ingredients. Form into loaf and bake free form or in loaf pan at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes or until done when tested with toothpick.

Mashed Potatoes
6 Idaho potatoes
2 tbsp. roasted chopped garlic
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ lb. butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Peel and boil potatoes until done. Add remaining ingredients and mash well. If putting through pastry tip, whip the potatoes till smooth.

Wild Mushroom Gravy
6 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. chopped garlic
2 cups sliced assorted mushrooms (button, crimini, shitake)
1 tbsp. fresh thyme
1 tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1 tbsp. chives, minced
1 tsp. fresh sage, chopped
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup red wine
¼ cup Worcestershire
3 tbsp. cold butter
2 cups demiglace

Heat olive oil on garlic pan. Add garlic and mushrooms; sauté and release water from mushrooms. Add heavy cream, red wine, Worcestershire and demiglace; reduce by half. Add fresh herbs and butter to finish.

Spinach
3 lbs. spinach
1 tbsp. garlic, chopped
3 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Clean and trim spinach. Heat olive oil in large pan; add garlic and sauté. Add spinach and sauté just until it gives way. Discard excess juice and set aside.

To assemble Meatloaf Tower:
Place bed of spinach in center of plate and spoon sauce around outer edge. Place slice of meatloaf on top and pipe rosettes of potatoes with pastry bag, forming a tower, on top of meatloaf. If not using pastry bag, place "mounds" of potatoes on meatloaf in same fashion.

Byrd’s Market & Cafe's Texas Baked Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS:
5 lbs. baked Russet potatoes (diced)
4 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup chicken stock
4 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. granulated garlic
2 red bell peppers (diced)
4 fresh jalapeños (diced)
2 cups diced bacon
1 tsp. chili pepper
1 tsp. paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:
Combine potatoes, cream and chicken stock in a food processor and briefly to combine yet leave potato chunks
Melt butter in pot
Add mixed ingredients to butter in pot
Add vegetables and spices to mix
Cook at medium heat stirring constantly for 30 minutes or until bubbles on top
Top with white cheddar cheese and sever with fresh baguette from Byrd’s Market