Curried Beef Patties

The pressures of making dinner after a busy workday and long commute leave little time in the evenings for Gail and Amber to spend together. These patties freeze well, so making them together on the weekend is a great way to share quality time and free up weeknights. To complete the meal, add a green salad and yogurt with fruit for dessert.

Corned Beef Cabbage Rolls With Cider Dijon Sauce

Think of this as a traditional boiled cabbage dinner wrapped in neat little parcels and bathed in a tangy, sweet sauce. To save prep time, pick up a chunk of corned beef at the deli.

The Ultimate Poutine

The best part about this classic poutine? The gravy is made using store-bought broth, so you don't have to make your own. With a few added aromatics, it has all the intense, meaty flavour of homemade. If you're really pressed for time, use frozen fries and be done in about 30 minutes.

Easy Tourtiere

This simplified version of a French- Canadian classic doesn't require mashed potatoes and has a super flaky crust that will have everyone asking for the recipe. For the lightest pastry, make sure you're working with cold butter and lard, and don't overwork the dough.

Grilled Mushroom-Stuffed Pork Loin

Pair up these two Ontario products for a spectacular rolled and barbecued roast. Buy a few of each mushroom - button, cremini, shiitake (use caps only) and oyster - for the stuffing. Wrapping the roast in bacon imparts smoky flavour and keeps the meat moist. It would be hard to deny that bacon makes everything taste better.

Roast Bison or Venison with Red Wine and Onion Jus

Game meat is always leaner than domestic meat, so special care must be taken when roasting to prevent it from drying out. Larding it with bacon or pork fat is a traditional method, and it's important to never cook it past medium.

Braised Chicken Pie with Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms and Chestnuts

Instead of a traditional tourtiere, this year I'm serving a puff pastry-topped pie that's especially festive with tiny onions and chestnuts. For variety you can replace the chicken with pork or veal. To use canned chestnuts instead of the fresh, add these already-cooked nuts when adding the mushroom mixture.

Brined Turkey With Potato & Parmesan Stuffing

Freeze-Ahead Tourtière

This classic is usually made with ground pork, often with the addition of potatoes for thickening. Mushrooms are unconventional, but tourtière fans will be happy with the extra flavour.

Anna Olson's Menemen Breakfast Pastries

Menemen is a delicious scrambled egg and tomato dish served as part of a bountiful Turkish breakfast. This recipe makes a portable version of this dish by baking or frying it inside a soft dough, replicating the fresh, warm, fried and baked breads that are also served as part of this breakfast feast.