Colder, shorter days call for a little comfort. Cozying up with a hearty meal on brisk winter evenings can help fight off the chill while savoring favorite flavors alongside the ones you love.

Avoid venturing into the cold for a trip to the store by turning to a pantry staple like sweetpotatoes. As one of the most versatile veggies, they’re easy to add to a variety of recipes while enhancing both flavor and nutrition. Perfectly suitable for both simple and elevated dishes, they can be baked, microwaved, grilled, slow cooked or prepared on the stove so their sweet taste never goes out of style.

Their long shelf life – up to four weeks if stored properly in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from heat sources – means you can rely on sweetpotatoes throughout the winter as an on-hand ingredient. Additionally, as a “diabetes superfood” according to the American Diabetes Association, they’re rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, all of which are good for overall health and may help prevent disease, making them a key source of nutrients during wintertime.

When your family needs a warm-up on those frosty days, put sweetpotatoes at the center of mealtime (with an added kick) in this Jalapeno Sweetpotato Chowder. Loaded with the flavors of winter comfort, it’s a filling meal that makes enough for a crowd so no one goes hungry.

Visit ncsweetpotatoes.com to find more comforting meal ideas.

Jalapeno Sweetpotato Chowder

Recipe courtesy of the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission

Servings: 6

2          large North Carolina sweetpotatoes, baked

1          small onion, 1/4-inch diced

2          tablespoons olive oil

1          quart chicken or vegetable stock

2          cups cooked chicken, cubed

1 1/2    cups whole corn kernels

2          teaspoons minced jalapenos

1/2       cup heavy cream

1          teaspoon salt

chopped scallions, for garnish

Peel baked sweetpotatoes; discard skin and puree.

In soup pot, saute onion in butter until softened. Add pureed sweetpotato and stock, as desired. Bring to boil, reducing liquid slightly.

Add chicken, corn, jalapenos, heavy cream and salt. Simmer 10 minutes.

To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped scallions.