Crosswinds Raspberry Sour Cream Pie

A smooth, creamy topping snuggles over a ruby band of raspberries in the most popular pie from The Crosswinds in Mitchell, a town in the heart of southwestern Ontario's pie country. Although owner Shirley Turford makes "a slew of different pies," it's this pie that people make sure is on the menu when they make reservations.

DIY Hot Chocolate Mix

This hot chocolate kit makes a cosy, heart-warming wintertime gift. Add a label with instructions to dissolve 3 tbsp of mix in 1 cup of steaming hot milk and to garnish with marshmallows. If you throw in a few peppermint candy sticks, they can serve as stir sticks to turn the drink into mint hot chocolate.

Peanut Butter Granola

Although this crunchy cereal isn't a low-calorie version of granola, the heart-healthy monounsaturated fats found in peanut butter and almonds make it a better choice than cereals and cereal bars that contain trans-fatty acids. Dried blueberries and cranberries are loaded with antioxidants, but you can use any dried fruit you have on hand.

Steamed Artichokes with Lemon Pesto Butter

The tighter and more compact the artichoke, the fresher it is. To eat the cooked artichoke, pull off each leaf, dip it in butter and pull between your teeth to release the tender bottom bit, then discard the tough leaf. Once leaves are removed, cut up the base, or heart, which is known as the jewel in the crown.

Rustic Pan Haggerty

You can’t beat the comfort factor of thinly sliced potatoes and onions sizzled together with cheese in a pan.

Potatoes hold a special place in the nation’s heart, and every regional cuisine seems to offer its own humble way of cooking these earthy staples. Pan haggerty, cooked in one heavy pan, dates back to the Industrial Revolution, when it was a cheap and delicious way to fill the bellies of workers in the old pit towns of Northumberland. This rustic dish has been gentrified over time, and you’ll now find versions including bacon, ham or sausage.

Eccles Cakes

It all began with a recipe involving a calf's foot filling (the less said, the better), but Eccles cakes are now one of Britain's most famous sweet treats.

Probably more famous than the town from which it comes, the Eccles cake began its rise to popularity in the 1790s in what is now part of Greater Manchester, where bakers James Birch and his apprentice-turned-rival William Bradburn battled for supremacy in the apparently fiercely competitive fruitcake market.

These small round patties of flaky pastry with a currant filling are not to be confused with similar-looking Chorley cakes (less sweet) or Banbury cakes (more oval). Today Eccles cakes hold a special place in the nation's heart, which not even their unappetizing nickname -- "dead fly pies" -- can diminish.

 

Halibut with Wild Blueberry Chutney and Roasted Vegetables

Fish is a staple in our home and I am always trying to create new accompaniments, while at the same time using local foods. I enjoy creating nutritious meals that are diabetic friendly (two of my children have Type 1 Diabetes), heart healthy, and always incorporating as many colours of the rainbow that I can. This dish can be made with any white fish as it looks so inviting with the reds and greens of the sides. Wild blueberries and Halibut - a perfect marriage as opposites do attract! I have (tried) roasted beets before but was always a bit disappointed when they dried out, so I tried this crusting method and it turns out a moist brightly colored beet with just a hint of horseradish! When plating this recipe, layering creates a presentation that is not only eye-appealing, but a superb blend of flavors. Using summers' bounty means delicious fresh menus for friends and family.

Giblet Stock for Gravy

This is a basic stock recipe to go into turkey or goose gravy.

Warm Artichoke & Spinach Dip