It's Time for Comfort Food

I had a hard time letting go of summer this year . . . a really, really hard time. But after about a week and half straight of grey skies, drizzling rain, and wet-cold air, I'm ready to concede and face the reality that summer is, indeed, gone.

So, in turning away from the joys of warm air and headily sweet flowers and cotton clothing, I am embracing one of my favorite joys of winter and autumn . . . the deliciousness of comfort food!!

Comfort food just doesn't work in the summer; does it? There's something about sitting down to eat dinner on a sweltering night in July, knowing that in the morning you will be taking your children to the pool with nothing between you and the world but a scant piece of spandex-enhanced nylon that makes tucking into a plate of homemade macaroni and cheese with buttered bread crumbs on the top less than inviting.

But autumn and winter? Now, that's a different story. Bring on the comfort foods! A large, flaky chicken pot pie, perhaps? Or Shredded Italian Pot Roast . . . bubbling away all day in the crock pot.

Yes, this past weekend was time for Italian Pot Roast. So, in tribute to the joys of cool air and dazzling fall leaves and grey, dripping skies, I'll post the recipe below. And you can celebrate with me!

Shredded Italian Pot Roast

8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms

1 large onion, cut in half and sliced

2 1/2 - 3 pound boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed (I used eye of round, which the recipe said was a lower fat

alternative. It was wonderful!)

1 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 - 1 oz. envelope dry onion soup mix.

1 - 14 oz. can beef broth

1 - 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

Place mushrooms and onion in the bottom of a 5 1/2 quart slow cooker.

Sprinkle roast evenly with pepper. Brown roast on all sides in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place roast on top of mushrooms and onion in slow cooker. Sprinkle onion soup mix evenly over roast. Pour beef broth and tomato sauce over roast. Cover and cook on HIGH 5 to 6 hours or until meat shreds easily with a fork.

Remove roast from slow cooker and shred.

Skim fat from juices in slow cooker. Stir in dried Italian seasoning and tomato paste. Stir together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl until smooth. Add to juices in slow cooker, stirring until blended. Cover and cook on HIGH 20 to 30 more minutes or until mixture is thickened. Add shredded roast back to slow cooker. Cover and cook until thoroughly heated.

Serve over hot, cooked egg noodles or hearty brown rice.