| Good morning, everyone, and happy Saturday. Our first little snow blew through the D.C. area Friday — just enough to be pretty but not enough to disrupt the workday. Are there cozy, nostalgic foods you crave on snow days? There's certainly an element of eating with the seasons that goes hand-in-hand with that, though I'm also the kind of person who loves to go out for ice cream in the dead of winter or dig into a dish of cheesy lasagna at the height of summer. For now, let's take the more conformist stance and assume you're in the mood for something hearty. You'd be hard-pressed to find a recipe more appealing than Ellie Krieger's Stuffed Shells With Spinach and Ricotta. This crowd-pleaser is lighter and fresher thanks to a higher ratio of frozen spinach to ricotta in the filling but still boasts the same saucy, creamy satisfaction you'd expect. (Need a vegan option? We have that, too.) You can't go wrong with baked pasta this time of year, so let me suggest a few others from our archives if that's what you're feeling this weekend. What about to drink? Hot chocolate is always a good idea, sure. Allison Robicelli, however, sold me on her Nonalcoholic White Russian. The typical version of this cocktail, well-known to fans of "The Big Lebowski," features vodka, coffee liqueur and heavy cream. It's a rich, festive quaff that leans into our inclination to fortify ourselves for the winter. Instead of the booze, though, Allison puts good-quality root beer at the forefront, allowing its eclectic mix of spices and botanicals to meld surprisingly well with the mellow cream and perky espresso powder. There's also something to be said for the kind of timeless dishes that fit in no matter the season. Count Samin Nosrat's Slow-Cooked Salmon among those ranks. Daniela Galarza notes that the melt-in-your-mouth fish, which is cooked low and slow while wrapped in Swiss chard leaves, can be served hot, at room temperature or cold. It pairs well with similarly any-season accompaniments, including rice and salad. If you've ever been worried about messing up a nice piece of fish, this is definitely one for you to try. Aaron Hutcherson and I will be back in front of our computers Wednesday at noon Eastern for our live weekly chat, where we'll be happy to hear about your favorite cold-weather foods and answer your culinary questions. Submit whatever's on your mind now, then set a reminder to join us when we kick things off. Until next week (holiday cookie time!), happy cooking. | 
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