White Sourdough Boule

You'll need only a half batch of Sourdough Starter to make this tasty loaf. Pass on the remaining starter—along with instructions on how to feed it—to friends so they can make their own sourdough bread at home. Serve the boule with our easy Cultured Butter (see recipe, below).

Mascarpone & Orange Cream Olive Oil Layer Cake

This showstopping dessert will wow your crowd with both its looks and its taste. The combination of moist cakes, mascarpone icing and orange cream is a match made in heaven.

Braised Short Rib Ravioli with Porcini Mushroom Jus

Tender beef, sharp cheese and fresh herbs elevate simple pasta dough into elegant ravioli that are packed with flavour. Pulsing the ingredients together is the secret to creating the best texture. Just be sure to use well-marbled short ribs and add any fat to the food processor along with the meat—the result will be a filling that melts in your mouth.

Spring Forest Skewers with Steak and Morels

Every spring we would eagerly anticipate the phone call. We never knew when it was coming. Sometimes it came in April, sometimes in May, and sometimes in June. Grandma would call and tell my Dad there was a package coming for us bus parcel express and that he had better be there to meet it . My Dad would shout, "Grandma's sending morels!" The entire day was then spent in morel anticipation. Dad would take one of the kids out to buy the finest steaks money could buy, and to be at the bus station to get the morels when they arrived. No matter what time of the day it was, he'd then rush home and prepare a to-die-for steak and morel feast. When my Grandma got a little older and could no longer go hunting for morels, the roles shifted. Dad took the whole family out searching for morels every spring. (That's when fiddle heads, which are found in the forest at the same time as morels, were added to the morel feast.) Sometimes we were successful, and sometimes we were not; but when we were fortunate enough to find the elusive treats, Dad always packaged some on ice and bus parcel expressed them to Grandma. This recipe melds the succulent, addictive flavour of morels with the scent of springtime in the forest. It is a Canadian gastronomic delight!

Rich, Hearty Vegetarian Chocolate Stout Chili

I chose this dish because it is so rich and satisfying, that even the biggest meat-eaters wouldn't miss the meat. It's hard to find a good vegetarian Chili Recipe, and I believe this is the best out there. It focuses on complex flavors and it screams "Canadian". A big bowl of chili is the ultimate comfort food. I serve this will a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream on top, and a sprig of fresh cilantro. And of course with one of my Honey Buttermilk Beer Buns (recipe follows) on the side. This is hands-down the best vegetarian chili out there!

BEEF WELLINGTON

Black and White Clock Cake

Celebrate New Year's Eve with a slice of this gorgeous vanilla and black currant layer cake. Ready-made rolled fondant makes a polished finish so easy to create. 

Tri-Colour Quinoa Lasagna with Local Seasonal Vegetables

Roasted and stir-fried vegetables are layered between flavoured quinoa to create a healthy and colourful take on vegetarian lasagna. My middle daughter is the lone vegetarian in a household of meat lovers. I find lately I've been incorporating more and more vegetarian options into our meals. It's easier on the family budget, the environment and our collective waistlines! That being said, I do find it more difficult to find a vegetarian meal that is "company worthy". This recipe, created with local veggies, is substantial enough to satisfy meat eaters and impressive enough for a casual dinner with friends. While I love how nutritious quinoa is, I sometimes find it a bit bland. Mixing the quinoa layers with 3 different sauces adds a flavour boost. Use the vegetables listed or try ones that are in season in your local area. If you select items that are fresh and colourful you can't go wrong. While the ingredient list looks long don't be daunted, most of the work is building the lasagna layers and the preparation is not complicated. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a light green salad for a delicious, healthy and budget-friendly (under $40 including salad) dinner with friends.

Curried Bison Stew with Sleeman's Beer

Serve 3/4 cups rice and ladle stew on top making sure each serving has equal portions of carrots and bison, sprinkle with ~ 1 teaspoon of cilantro. Serve immediately. NOTE: When I cook this dish, a salad is served before the main course and the side dish for the main course is steamed broccoli. Dessert is Chocolate cake with mixed fruit and French vanilla ice cream.

Phyllo Halibut Bundles and Warm Wild Rice Salad

For the past 25 years I have been receiving Canadian Living magazine, have purchased the cookbooks and special publications. I have several file folders that are stuffed to overflowing with years' worth of my favorite recipes. A few years ago I finally gave away most of my mother's cookbook collection because I never used them. Those well used folders of CL recipes are the foundation of my cooking. I often think of CL magazine as a proud parent - one of my proud parents. Canadian Living has been with me from my infancy as a cook and has stood by me as my kitchen skills were honed and my cooking instincts matured. I would not be the cook I am today without CL. So, thank you, thank you, thank you for the years of wonderful meals and lessons. My guests think I am a cooking genius but it is the support system behind the cook that is the real genius.

I created this recipe because I love Greek inspired flavours and I love make-ahead meals when entertaining. You can enjoy a day out with family and friends and still have dinner ready for your guests half an hour after you get home. This meal can be made early in the day of the dinner or the day before guests arrive. The recipe looks daunting but it is not difficult to put together. The key is to chop and prep all of the vegetables and fresh herbs needed for all components prior to cooking. Use ready to go pre-washed, packaged spinach. If made ahead the flavours have a chance to meld together. This recipe features BC halibut, prairie grown wild rice and walnuts that grow in many regions of Canada. Also, Canadian orchard fresh nectarines when in season. During spring and summer use locally grown farm fresh herbs and vegetables (or from your garden) as well as locally produced free range or organic eggs.

Approx. cost: $90.00