Golden Roasted Roots

Tired of the same old vegetables on your table? Try this medley of the season's finest root vegetables. A simple roasted garlic vinaigrette adds flavour while preserving the natural sweetness of each vegetable. Use a high-quality heavy baking sheet for roasting the vegetables because it holds an even heat and helps give them a nice golden colour. 

Pear, Fig and Almond Galette

With seasonal fruit, honey and almonds, this galette makes an impressive dessert. Rolled into a thin disc, marzipan addsflavour and ensures the base is crisp. Heat it in the microwave for 5 seconds if it is too difficult to roll.

Marion Warhaft's Imam Bayeldi

"When I was a kid, my mother cooked something different every night. She made a lot of great French and Mediterranean dishes." Graduate student Mark Warhaft has inherited a discriminating palate and love of food from his mother, Winnipeg Free Press restaurant critic Marion Warhaft. He entertains frequently, specializing in Thai food, and for the past two years has operated a very successful food booth at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. "I love her Imam Bayeldi. It's great, and I've been trying to get her to write down her recipe for years." Imam Bayeldi, a robust Turkish dish of tomatoes and eggplant, is a terrific accompaniment for barbecued chicken, burgers or kabobs. It's also a sensational and easy make-ahead starter to enjoy with pita or crusty bread.

Lemon and Herb Spatchcock Chicken

Flattening (a.k.a. spatchcocking) a whole chicken makes it easier to carve and helps it cook quickly and evenly throughout. Once you become comfortable with this method, customize the recipe by switching up the herbs and seasoning.

Peppermint Trees

Lemon and Thyme Roast Turkey With White Wine Gravy

This lemon-kissed herbed turkey is equally suitable for a fancy affair or a casual family get-together. Choose a good-quality white wine to use in the gravy, and serve the rest of the bottle to guests at the table.

Fresh Pumpkin Pie

This classic pie uses sugar, or pie, pumpkins, which are abundant in the fall. They are much smaller than jack-o'-lantern pumpkins; one average-size sugar pumpkin will yield enough purée for just a single pie.

White Christmas Trees

Maple Crusted Cedar Plank Salmon

I love to barbecue, and this is my family's favourite way to eat salmon. We always buy a few extra maple sugar leaves from the farmer's market to use on the salmon. We also make our own maple syrup from our trees, so this makes it more personal. I serve the sweet salmon with a tart cranberry icewine compote, which sets the flavours off nicely. The icewine is made not far from us, in Prince Edward Country, Ontario, so that is local as well. Finally, we grow fiddleheads on our property, which are just coming into season now, so I think this makes a perfect side dish.

Brown Sugar Rounds