As winter fluctuates between cold and less cold, one thing remains the same — the need for quick and easy meal ideas.

Muffins are great for grab-and-go breakfasts. If you make them yourself, they can be healthy, too. I have made many kinds of muffins, but normally just use quick bread batter baked into a muffin shape. This works great, but I do like trying real muffin recipes every now and then.

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so I decided to try to find a new recipe to celebrate it. There are so many different recipes for Valentine’s Day, from main dishes to desserts, but I ultimately decided to try a thumbprint cookie recipe.

Thumbprint cookies are delicious with a buttery, shortbread-like base, and sweet jam or jelly baked into the center.

One of my favorite soups for cold winter days is chicken corn chowder. Progresso brand chicken corn chowder is my favorite. Chicken corn chowder is creamy and hearty, while the corn adds a pop of freshness and sweetness to keep it from feeling too heavy.

Around Christmas time every year, my dad gets a panettone cake from his work. That is one of the few things I have ever eaten that contains candied orange peel.

Christmas, the most wonderful time of the year, is practically here. Christmas is such a special time, a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus with many treasured traditions. Advent wreaths, Nativity scenes, Christmas carols, Christmas decorations and, of course, Christmas trees make the cold month of December seem much cozier.

Cinnamon rolls are a sweet addition to any breakfast, and, in fact, are great to eat at any time of day. Although I enjoy the traditional cinnamon rolls served warm with a glaze, sometimes I also enjoy them cold with cream cheese frosting.