Craving comfort foods as the weather gets colder outside? Try these delicious recipes from David Venable's new cookbook, "In the Kitchen with David: QVC's Resident Foodie Presents Comfort Foods That Take You Home."
Recipe: Pot roast with vegetables (on this page) Recipe: Spinach salad with warm bacon dressing (on this page) Recipe: Chocolate-peanut butter pie (on this page)Many Sunday mornings, Mom asked me to sear the meat for pot roast. Mom added the other
ingredients and let the pot roast cook for hours. Oh my, how good the house smelled! The meat was fall-apart tender, and the gravy was thick and flavorful. As soon as there’s a nip in the air, I begin to crave this dish and make it several times during the winter.
To make the pot roast:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Pat the roast dry with paper towels. Spread the flour on a large plate. Dredge the roast in
the flour, coating it completely. Season it liberally with salt and pepper.
Heat the canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the meat on all sides until
it is well browned. Remove the browned meat to a plate. Add the onions, garlic and tomato paste to the pot and cook until the onions and garlic begin to turn golden. Add the red wine and cook, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the wine has reduced to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. Return the meat to the pot.
Add the beef stock, thyme and bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Cover and transfer to the
oven. Roast for 2 1/2 hours. Add the carrots and potatoes and roast for 2 hours more. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 to 20 minutes. While the meat is resting, skim the fat from the gravy. Transfer the gravy to a saucepan and heat. Cut the roast into thin slices, arrange them on a serving platter, and garnish with the parsley. Serve the pot roast accompanied by the gravy.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Baby spinach is one of the most tender, flavorful and nutrient-rich greens you can eat. Warm
bacon dressing offers slightly smoky, slightly crunchy, slightly tangy flavors that work perfectly with this leafy green treat.
To make the salad:
Toss together the spinach, red onion, mushrooms and cranberries in a large bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together the bacon drippings, vinegar, sugar, mustard and basil in a saucepan over
low heat. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper.
Drizzle the warm dressing over the spinach salad and toss to combine. Add the crumbled bacon and the eggs. Top with the pecorino shavings before serving.
Makes 4 servings.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Bake the graham cracker piecrust for 7 to 8 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
To make the filling, combine the chocolate chips and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 20-second intervals until the chocolate is melted. Stir thoroughly with a rubber spatula. Set aside. Let cool completely.
Place the cream cheese, peanut butter, granulated sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-low speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until ingredients are fully incorporated. Pour the chocolate mixture into the peanut butter mixture and mix on low until just combined. Do not overmix. Spread evenly into the prepared crust. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
To make the topping, beat the cream to soft peaks in the clean bowl of an electric mixer. Add the confectioners' sugar and vanilla and beat until medium peaks form. Spoon the whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe the cream decoratively over the top of the pie. Garnish with the grated chocolate and peanuts before serving.
Makes 8 servings.
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