Gooseberry Chutney

Though the name gooseberry comes from the fact that the berries were commonly used as a sauce for roast goose, this tart, seedy relish would also make a wonderful accompaniment to roast pork or tourtière. This is an old favourite from Summer Berries by Elizabeth Baird (James Lorimer & Company Ltd., 2002), part of the Great Canadian Recipes series.

Marinated Short Ribs

Succulent marinated beef short ribs are roasted to render out most of the fat, leaving juicy, deliciously spiced meat. Buy thick-cut short ribs, at least 2 inches (5 cm) thick, known as "flanken-style" at Jewish butcher shops. You can separate them into one-rib pieces if you like.

Beef Pho

Although it requires lots of ingredients, this soup — popular at Vietnamese restaurants — is worth the effort. Make the stock ahead so it takes only minutes to prepare for dinner.

Honey Pumpkin Pie

A fabulous pumpkin pie is a combination of a crisp flaky crust and smooth creamy custard. For guaranteed success, quick-chill and prebake the crust at a high temperature before adding the pumpkin custard and baking the pie at a lower temperature.

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

This richly spiced apple butter makes more than you'll need for a single loaf of bread, but it'll keep in your fridge for a week or in your freezer for up to two months. Spread it onto warm bread and rolls, or stir it into cake batters in place of applesauce.

Chai Ginger Bark

Fragrant chai tea spices are mixed with creamy milk chocolate and swirled with rich dark chocolate in this ginger-studded treat. The key to achieving a velvety-smooth texture and maximum flavour is finely grinding the preground spices in a spice grinder.

Garlic Pâté on Toasts

Here's a simple canapé chock-full of mellow roasted garlic flavour - an earthy yet sophisticated match for drinks. You can also garnish with chopped fresh chives, parsely, oregano or basil for a bit of colour. 

Pork and Pearl Onion Adobo

This flavourful Philippine stew, with its mellow mix of vinegar and soy sauce, pairs beautifully with rice or noodles.

Lemon & Sage Fettuccine

Almond Chai Cookies

Ground chai tea and some additional ground chai spices give these buttery almond cookies a subtle, pleasing flavour. Find loose-leaf chai tea in bulk food stores or specialty tea shops. In a pinch, empty a tea bag or two to get the proper amount.