Welcomes guests in from the cold with a hearty winter dinner. After all nothing warms you up like good friends and good food. Make the most of seasonal root vegetables by starting with carrot soup. The toasted cumin and coriander add warm earthy flavors to this creamy soup. The salad’s bright citrus flavor, beet red color and nutty crunchy texture will perk up your palate for the entree of roasted salmon. It’s a super-easy recipe that big on taste from the smoky-sweet rub. With the salmon we recommend a pouring Ravenswood Vintners Blend Chardonnay. Wilted spinach and orzo complete the main course. The meal’s finale is the essence of comfort food – a bread pudding with dried cherries and a hint of rum. Make it ahead of time and serve it warm with whipped cream.

Set a cozy mood with a fire in the fireplace and intimate background music. No fireplace? Groupings of pillar candles in varying heights arranged around the room will be just as cozy. Your friends will be basking in the glow of the good food, the warm company and will not want to go into cold night.