North Carolina’s Best Winter Recipe Is A Unique Mash-Up

The transition into a winter season on the East Coast can be a huge change. From warmer clothes, to earlier sundowns, you often seek comfort in the winter months. Taste of Home recognized this at the end of last year, publishing the best winter recipe in each state, and in North Carolina the dish is combination of two classics.

Scrolling through the winter dish of choice in all 50 states, the one common theme is that each item selected is a warm food. In fact, many of them are unique twists on stove-top favorites or classics that are baked in a pan. Regardless if you are in the warmer climate or up north in the frigid cold, the winter season is synonymous with the holiday season. That means more home cooking.

In addition, the Super Bowl is always in the winter, as is New Year's Eve. These are two of the most anticipated get-together days of the year. It is hard not to find a table full of hot food on either occasion.

Considering where you are in the country and what your local cuisine seems to favor, it is interesting to see how the recipes of choice differ depending on which region you live in. For North Carolina, the best winter recipe sounds like something you have to put your own personal touch to. Then, make sure you come to the table hungry.

Make sure you leave ample time to take a nap after you indulge in this hearty recipe. Ravioli and lasagna alone are some of the tastiest dinner meals. Taste of Home suggests that in this North Carolina winter recipe, you combine the two into one mouthwatering dish.

"In a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish, layer a third of the spaghetti sauce, half of the ravioli, half the beef and 1/2 cup cheese; repeat layers," they say. So, essentially, the ravioli replaces the lasagna noodle strips. Instead of layering in the ricotta cheese, use ground beef because you already have the ricotta inside the ravioli. Wow.

Christmas is a time to visit family and friends and get away from the daily grind. The holidays can be a wonderful time, but they can also be very expensive. From buying lots of Christmas gifts for family and friends to having to pay for plane tickets and travel, holiday expenses can really add up. But, the good news is that there are some affordable Christmas vacations in the U.S. that are available for a good deal. Also, North Carolina has one of the cheapest Christmas vacations in America.

One good thing about traveling during the winter months is that it's often the off-season for popular vacation destinations. Of course, the holidays are a busy travel time. That makes late December a difficult time to find a deal for travel. But, if you don't mind the cold and snow, some northern areas of the U.S. offer very good deals. That's true even during the Christmas season.

Some tips for finding a good deal for holiday vacationing include searching a lot of booking websites, comparing different hotel dates to find the most reasonable ones and finding bundle deals. Also, keep your eyes open for special deals on resorts and hotels that are just opening. That's because sometimes, during those opening months, new vacation spots try to attract a loyal clientele by offering special deals. One more tip is to search for airfare rates individually even if you are traveling as a couple or a group. If you put in a search for a group of tickets, the algorithms will often leave out information on one or two cheaper tickets being available. They'll just send you a group of tickets, sitting together, all at the same price. So, you might get a deal if you search for one ticket, instead.

So, what are the best affordable Christmas vacations in the U.S.? Here are some popular spots that won't break the bank. One is in North Carolina.

Frankenmuth, Michigan, is the self-proclaimed Christmas capital city of the world. Okay, so many argue that Strasbourg, France, takes that honor, but Frankenmuth is close, and it's a lot cheaper to get there. No passport needed. The villiage's Franconian-style architecture has given it the loving name "Little Bavaria." Frankenmuth is also home to the world's biggest Christmas store.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is located in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and it offers a beautiful view of snowy hills and Amish country. It's a very old-fashioned type of town, making it a charming winter getaway. There are plenty of fun, holiday-type things to do in Lancaster that won't break the bank.

You might never guess, but Las Vegas, Nevada, is a great spot for an affordable holiday trip. Think about it. Most people wouldn't think to go to "Sin City" for Christmas. Of course, it's much less the "sin" part these days, as Las Vegas offers fun activities for the whole family.

Fort Myers, Florida, is a popular destination for snow birds. But, that's doesn't mean to skip it during the holidays. If you want to get away from the snow and ice, Fort Myers offers a great escape over Christmas and for prices that are more reasonable than in many other areas of Florida.

Charlotte, North Carolina, is a great spot to visit in the holiday season, because it's not as crowded as other times during the year. It's also less expensive to visit during the holidays and offers beautiful decorations during Christmas. Don't forget the many holiday markets.

Boston, Massachusetts, gets cold in the winter, but it also has that classic Christmas charm. It's a big city with a smaller city feel during the holidays. What's more, it's a more affordable winter vacation destination than many other areas, and you won't have the fight the crowds.