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  3. Rainy Day Recipes for When You're Not Planning To Leave the House

Rainy Day Recipes for When You're Not Planning To Leave the House

Mary Shannon Hodes, Associate Digital Editor at Southern Living
By Mary Shannon Wells Updated July 22, 2022
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Emily's Red Beans and Rice
Credit: Peter Frank Edwards

Although we'd rather the weather be beautiful all the time, there's still plenty to love about a rainy day. Sometimes nothing but the gloomiest day will do. Picture this: the rain pouring down outside and you perched in a cozy spot by the fire with a bowlful of white chicken chili and the crunchiest, fluffiest wedge of cornbread. Perfection. If you ask us, gloomy days are an adequate excuse to put your hectic life aside and actually relax. Sure rainy days can be opportunities to finally get the laundry and leftover spring cleaning done, but they can also be the perfect backdrop for an hours-long movie marathon. Storms are a guarantee in the South all year long, so you might as well do some cooking if you're stuck inside. Since you don't want to leave the house in a storm, it's tempting to order delivery, but these rainy day recipes will be more satisfying and cost-effective. Whether you want a lazy day with minimal effort in the kitchen or you'd rather spend the day trying out a challenging dish, these rainy day recipes will hit the spot. We picked out some of our most comforting dishes for you to cozy up with while the rain pours outside. With rainy day recipes like warm soups, hearty casseroles, and classic desserts, you might just want it to rain more often. In fact, we wouldn't blame you one bit.

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Ravioli Lasagna

Ravioli Lasagna Recipe
Credit: Photographer: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Christine Kelly; Food Stylist: Ali Ramee

Recipe: Ravioli Lasagna

The comfort food dinner of your dreams will be piping hot out of the oven in just 30 minutes. For a no-fuss rainy-day meal it can't be beat. 

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Old-Fashioned Chicken And Dumplings

Old-Fashioned Chicken And Dumplings
Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Chicken And Dumplings

If you're going to make a Southern classic like chicken and dumplings, you should give it the time and care it deserves. A rainy day is perfect for this cozy recipe, which was submitted to us in 1983 from Mrs. Morton Smith from Homewood, Alabama.

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French Onion Soup Casserole

French Onion Soup Casserole
Credit: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: French Onion Soup Casserole

All the comfort of the soup you crave in a rich casserole. If you'd rather go with the soup, we have an amazing recipe for that, too.

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Texas Sheet Cake Cookies

texas sheet cake cookies
Credit: Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Christine Kelly Food Stylist: Ali Ramee

Recipe: Texas Sheet Cake Cookies

Here's a rainy day indulgence if we've ever seen one. What's even better than the chopped candy topping? A smart ingredient list that calls on boxed chocolate cake mix. Your chocolate cravings, served up in a flash.

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Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

Slow-Cooker Pot Roast
Credit: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

Pop the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning and let your dinner make itself. This blend of seasonings will be your new pot roast go-to.

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Creamy Artichoke, Kale, and Rice Gratin

Creamy Artichoke, Kale, and Rice Gratin
Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Recipe: Creamy Artichoke, Kale, and Rice Gratin
Looking for greens on a gray day? Make this comforting casserole. It's basically a spinach-artichoke dip, but in casserole form. 

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Andouille Sausage and Smoked Chicken Gumbo

Andouille Sausage and Smoked Chicken Gumbo
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Andouille Sausage and Smoked Chicken Gumbo

You have to be patient for a good gumbo recipe to reach its full flavor potential, so a rainy day is perfect to try out a new gumbo recipe.

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Shepherd's Pie

Shepherd's Pie
Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Recipe: Shepherd's Pie

As Southerners who love classic comfort food recipes, we wish we could claim this one from over the pond. This version cooks in the slow cooker, but we have another recipe that bakes in the oven.

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Soulful Chicken Soup

Soulful Chicken Soup
Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Soulful Chicken Soup

If you don't crave chicken noodle soup on a cozy day or night in, you need to reevaluate some of your choices.

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Beef-and-Black-eyed Pea Chili

Beef-and-Black-Eyed Pea Chili
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Recipe: Beef-and-Black-eyed Pea Chili

Chili will always have a warm welcome in our home, but we'd never dare serve it without a side of homemade cornbread. Black-eyed peas add a Southern spin to a classic chili recipe.

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White Lightning Chicken Chili

White Lightning Chicken Chili
Credit: Becky Luigart Stayner

Recipe: White Lightning Chicken Chili

If you'd rather go with chicken instead of beef, our White Lightning Chicken Chili is a fan favorite. Make two batches while you're stuck inside and freeze one for later. Cornbread still required.

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Beef Calzones

Beef Calzones

Recipe: Beef Calzones

Don't spend money ordering pizza! Have fun stuffing these calzones with your favorite toppings.

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Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie

Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie

Frozen will never be as good as homemade. For new ways to cook it, try our Skillet Chicken Pot Pie with Leeks and Mushrooms or our Chicken Pot Pie with Bacon-and-Cheddar Biscuits, which is made in a casserole dish.

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Mac and Cheese with Ham

Baked Smokin' Macaroni and Cheese
Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: Mac and Cheese with Ham

Smoked Gouda and chopped smoked ham make for a next-level mac and cheese experience. Not into ham? We have plenty of macaroni and cheese recipes for you to try on your rainy day.

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Extra-Easy Lasagna

Extra-Easy Lasagna
Credit: Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Martin

Recipe: Extra-Easy Lasagna

We wouldn't lie—this lasagna is so easy. You won't even have to pause your rainy day movie marathon to make it.

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Loaded Potato Soup

Loaded Potato Soup
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Loaded Potato Soup

Let this creamy soup cook in the slow cooker and pile on the toppings when it's ready.

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Beef Stew

Beef Stew
Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Beef Stew

This recipe was sent to us in 1986, and it still holds up. If you don't get a hankering for chicken noodle soup when you need something comforting, then at least tell us you reach for a beef stew recipe.

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Classic Southern Pound Cake

Classic Southern Pound Cake
Credit: Skyler Burt; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Karen Rankin

Recipe: Classic Southern Pound Cake

There are endless pound cake recipes in the South, but this one keeps it simple and timeless. We like to serve it with fresh fruit and whipped cream or sprinkle it with powdered sugar.

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So Good Brownies

So Good Brownies
Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: So Good Brownies

The name says it all with this recipe. Brownies are easy to make when you're feeling lazy, and they're best served warm with a scoop (or two) of vanilla ice cream, in our opinion.

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The Lane Cake

The Lane Cake
Credit: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: The Lane Cake

If you're in the mood for more of a baking challenge while you're holed up inside, the legendary Lane Cake is the recipe for you. Once you try the layers of incredible flavor, all the work will be worth it.

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All-Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

All-Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas

Recipe: All-Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

We can't think of many, well any, times that a batch of warm chocolate chip cookies doesn't hit the spot. In the case of a rainy day, we just might make two.

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Emily's Red Beans and Rice

Emily's Red Beans and Rice
Credit: Peter Frank Edwards

Recipe: Emily's Red Beans and Rice

Although no two recipes are the same, Red Beans and Rice is a comforting dish that our Louisiana friends crave year round. If you've never tried your hand at it, why not test it out on a rainy day?

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    1 of 22 Ravioli Lasagna
    2 of 22 Old-Fashioned Chicken And Dumplings
    3 of 22 French Onion Soup Casserole
    4 of 22 Texas Sheet Cake Cookies
    5 of 22 Slow-Cooker Pot Roast
    6 of 22 Creamy Artichoke, Kale, and Rice Gratin
    7 of 22 Andouille Sausage and Smoked Chicken Gumbo
    8 of 22 Shepherd's Pie
    9 of 22 Soulful Chicken Soup
    10 of 22 Beef-and-Black-eyed Pea Chili
    11 of 22 White Lightning Chicken Chili
    12 of 22 Beef Calzones
    13 of 22 Old-Fashioned Chicken Pot Pie
    14 of 22 Mac and Cheese with Ham
    15 of 22 Extra-Easy Lasagna
    16 of 22 Loaded Potato Soup
    17 of 22 Beef Stew
    18 of 22 Classic Southern Pound Cake
    19 of 22 So Good Brownies
    20 of 22 The Lane Cake
    21 of 22 All-Time Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
    22 of 22 Emily's Red Beans and Rice

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