Food Network's Nancy Fuller believes in bringing family together for simple, seasonal meals, and her cookbook proves how easy it can be. Here are five of her best dishes to cozy up to during the fall and winter months, from hearty venison stew to banana cream pie topped with airy whipped cream. Get the book.
Venison Chili from the Land
If you've never worked with this hearty game meat before, then Nancy's easy venison stew is just the recipe to get you started. Dark beer, brown sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder impart deep, rich flavor and also balance the heat of the chiles, cumin and paprika. After about two hours in your Dutch oven, the meat will be fall-apart tender.
This comforting banana cream pie could easily become a mainstay at future gatherings with family and friends. Once you’ve filled your homemade pie crust with smooth vanilla custard and sliced bananas, top the whole thing off with a few generous spoonfuls of fresh whipped cream.
Sweet, moist and studded with chopped dates and toasted walnuts, this classic bread is perfect for dessert — or enjoy a lightly buttered slice for breakfast. Nancy updates the traditional recipe by adding a few flavor boosters — pumpkin pie spice and dark rum (or brandy) — to the batter.
Sweet roasted beets and tender leaves of baby spinach create the perfect bed for crumbled goat cheese and toasted walnuts. The salad takes just a few minutes to assemble, so start roasting the beets a few hours in advance — so they have plenty of time to cool before you begin to peel and dice them.
The recipe title doesn’t lie: This is just the dish you’ll want to have around on a cold day. Tender corn kernels, cubed russet potatoes and crispy chopped bacon come together in this stick-to-your-ribs chowder. Once you’ve gathered the ingredients and chopped the vegetables, your Dutch oven will take care of the rest.
