Festive Recipes Simply wonderful Table of Contents

Low-fat Chickpea/ Appetizers 3 Compliments of Plant Based Living

Poutine Balls 4 Compliments of Chris Mask from Off the Chip Wagon

Holiday Style 5 Compliments of Chris Mask from Off the Chip Wagon

Holiday Three Course Turkey Dinner for Two 7 Compliments of BC & Beyond

Roast Turkey 10 Compliments of Chris Mask from Off the Chip Wagon

Double Smoked Bread Stuffing 11 Compliments of Chris Mask from Off the Chip Wagon

Stained Glass Cookies 12 Compliments of Joan McElman, host of Welcome To My Kitchen Low-fat Chickpea/Potato Appetizers

Bake or microwave a bunch of potatoes with skins on. When they are soft in the center, cool, and slice in half lengthways.

Meanwhile, make the chickpea spread. Traditional chickpea hummus contains tahini (sesame seed paste) and , both of which are very high in fat. This is therefore a significant departure from traditional hummus and may be more accurately labelled a “chickpea spread”. If you have more chickpea spread than you need for the potatoes, you can use it on salad or .

Chickpea spread ingredients:

2 cups salt-free chickpeas 1 large garlic clove juice of one fresh squeezed lemon 1 tbsp yellow mustard 2 tsp mild curry powder (using spicier curry powder is optional)

Blend until smooth.

Assembling the appetizers: Apply a generous dollop of hummus to the cut side of each baked potato half. Decorate with a pinch of paprika and/or finely chopped fresh parsley.

3 Poutine Balls

This spin on Poutine is different but equally as festive as these are balls and they make a great appetizer. As normal Poutine is just , I believe this counts as the cheesy mashed potatoes are in fact fried.... just not in a stick form like a French fry.

For this recipe we need dry stuffing so skip the broth step in that recipe. Plus you will need to get your quite thick like jelly to sit in the middle.

CHEESY MASHED POTATOES

4 Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and diced) 1 cup white cheddar (shredded) 1/2 cup cream (room temperature) 1/4 cup unsalted (room temperture) 1/2 cup whipping cream sea salt and white pepper to taste

In a pot full of water boil potatoes until fork tender. Drain your potatoes and pass through a potato ricer.

Add remaining ingredients into riced potatoes and fold in. Do not over mix or your mashed potatoes will become “gluey”. Add your salt and white pepper to taste. Let cool completely.

Take a small ball of potato in your hand. Place a cheese curd, your turkey pieces, corn and peas in centre with about a tsp of your cooled jelly like gravy. Mould potato around the centre contents to create a ball (make sure the potato creates a full seal. Place on a cookie sheet and let set in fridge for an hour. Continue until you have you desired amount.

You will not need to blanch these like so go ahead and get your oil to 350F.

Take 3/4 of the dry stuffing and place into a food processor to create bread crumbs. Mix the crumbs back into whole dry stuffing.

Crack 3-4 eggs into a bowl and whisk to create your egg wash.

Dip potato ball into the egg wash and roll in stuffing crumbs to coat completely. Dip a second time and repeat the stuffing coating.

Do not over crowd your fryer as you start your batches. Once they turn folded remove from oil and place on wire rack.

4 Holiday Style Poutine

When it comes to a holiday style Poutine, you need to look at the dinner staples that make a meal bring the comfort and warmth that drown out the hustle and bustle that the Holiday season also brings. Here are three spins on a classic dinner that will elevate your Poutine to the next level.

By creating your base with holiday staples such as yellow potatoes, sweet potatoes and carrots you can truly bring an unexpected twist to Poutine.

Here is what to start with:

4 yellow potatoes (skin on or off) 4 carrots (peeled) 4 sweet potatoes (skin on or off)

Cut each of these length-wise to makes your fries. Soak your planks in cold water for about an hour (removing the starch makes them crisper and it is less likely they will stick together). Another option would be to spiralizer them as with Poutine #2 to create a basket (Just a fancier presentation really no difference other than more of a shoe-string cut to your fries).

Continued...

5 BLANCHING FRIES Lower temp with a longer cook. This 2 step fry making process will produce good results for crispy fries with this one extra step. Get your oil to 250F and partially cook your fries (listen carefully for a slight whistle as steam escapes the inside). Roughly a 5-8 minute soak in the oil. Set aside until ready to get at high heat to get crispy and golden.

For the baskets, use a spiralizer to create long curly strings of fries. Next create a tube out of aluminium foil and wrap the strands to create your basket. Blanch as you would any other fry just remember to leave the basket intact to set as it cools. After the 2nd fry just collapse the foil tube into the centre to remove.

For the second fry your oil should be set to 325F - 350F. This will take 3-5 minutes. Be careful not to over crowd your fry basket to ensure an even cook. Season with salt immediately out if the fryer. This now comes down to layers. Try to ensure an even mix of fries, cheese toppings and of course your gravy. You want an even consistency throughout your Poutine.

CHEESE CURDS A bag of good quality cheese curds is a must. Squeaky cheese curds brings authenticity to your Poutine and never cheap out on the gravy. Homemade gravy always trumps the store bought canned stuff. But considering the veggies like peas and corn are just a side note, a quick saute’ with butter should work nicely. Here are the recipes to use as a base for these creations.

CRANBERRY SAUCE

1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen) 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 orange (sliced) 1/4 cup water

Add cranberries, water and sugar to a pan and dissolve sugar completely. Squeeze orange slices to release juice into pan and add peels to sauce. Simmer until sauce thickens. Add more sugar or orange juice if you would like it sweeter. Set aside to cool.

WHISKEY GRAVY

1/4 cup turkey drippings 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature) 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 4 cups vegetable broth 2 tbsp maple syrup (pure syrup works best) 1/4 cup whiskey thyme sprigs sea salt and white pepper to taste

In a bowl mix butter and flour together to form a smooth paste.Set aside. In a pot (not one coated in tefalon), pour in turkey drippings, whiskey, broth and thyme (be careful if you are using a gas stove as the whiskey is flammable).Simmer liquids until reduced by 1/3 of original volume. Remove thyme sprigs. Using a whisk, rapidly incorporate the butter and flour paste into your liquid. Get this as smooth as you can (but in a worst case scenario pass it through a sieve to get out all the lumps). Add your sea salt and white pepper to taste and set aside until needed.

6 Holiday Three Course Turkey Dinner for Two

ROASTED PARSNIP SOUP Serves 2

2 peeled & chopped parsnips 1 stick chopped celery 1/2 diced onion 1/2 garlic clove 2 tbsp olive oil pepper & salt 250ml vegetable stock whipping cream optional

Preheat oven at 400F

Toss parsnips with 1 tsp olive oil spread on sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven when golden brown. In a medium size sauce pan add oil over medium heat, sauté onions, celery & garlic until translucent, add roasted parsnip. Add stock bring to boil, turn down, simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat puree and adjust seasoning. Whipping cream optional.

7 APRICOT BREAD PUDDING Serves 2

1/2 baguette cut in cubes 100 grams chopped dried apricots 1/4 diced onions 1/2 diced celery stick fresh herbs chopped, parsley, sage or basil 1 small beaten egg salt & pepper splash of milk olive oil

In a bowl combine bread & milk, let soak. Over medium heat use frying pan with olive oil, add onions, celery and sauté until soft, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool. Squeeze bread and discard all liquid place back in bowl add celery, onions, apricots, herbs, salt & pepper, 1/2 the egg unless it needs more moisture place in fridge until needed.

For baking separately: can be rolled in log form with aluminum foil or use as stuffing, oven baked for 45 minutes on 400F.

DEBONED STUFFED TURKEY BREAST ROLL Serves 2

Dash salt & pepper 1 fresh lemon

Preheat oven at 400F

With a sharp knife slice the turkey breast from top to bottom half way through. Season with salt, pepper, fill with apricot bread pudding, pull turkey flap over. Using butchers twine, tie a small knot loop at top of string. Place under breast pull over and threw loop pull tight, with your middle finger, left hand place pressure on loop with four finger measure ½ inch downpull string to that spot place forefinger wrap string around breast pull through and repeat, tie at end.

Season turkey with salt, pepper & squeezed lemon. Place on baking dish, bake for 45-60 minutes. Internal temperature is 165F. Remove let rest.

Cut twine and slice. Take the pan that you roasted the turkey in place over heat add cup of water scrap with metal spatula. Pour into small pot bring to a boil and reduce to half.

Remove from heat add two tsp of butter, whisk in, set aside.

8 YAM SWEET POTATO TART Serves 2

1/2 sliced thin yam 1/2 sliced thin sweet potato 1/4 red diced onion 100 grams shredded parmesan or asiago cheese 75 grams butter

Spread butter over one small tart pan, start with yam, place slices until bottom is covered, sprinkle with red onion, cheese, salt & pepper. Start next layer with sweet potato cover all then repeat with onion, cheese & seasoning. Repeat with yam then finish with sweet potatoes.Cover with cheese and wrap with tinfoil. Bake in oven at 425F for 30 minutes. Check if potatoes are soft remove tinfoil gratinee until golden brown remove. Cut into two pieces serve.

MERINGUE SORBET DESSERT Serves 2

3 eggs separated (use whites only) 150 grams sugar

In a mixing bowl add egg whites, turn to high, add sugar a little at a time, until stiff peaks. Remove from bowl place in piping bag. Pipe in round discs. Bake at 100F for 3 hours. Cool Scoop favourite sorbet with additional fruit, sprinkle with icing sugar.

9 Roast Turkey

Any cut of turkey will work for this however keep in mind the thigh meat will hold moisture better then the lean breast meat.

4 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature) 5 tsp BBQ spice mix (your choice) 1 tbsp lemon juice (fresh) 2 bone-in, skin-on turkey thighs (2lbs total) coarse salt and ground pepper

Rinse turkey thighs and pat dry with paper towels

Preheat oven to 450F.

In a small bowl, whip together butter, BBQ spice, and lemon juice.

Gently slip your fingers between skin and meat of the turkey thighs to loosen skin.Evenly spread butter mixture under skin of each thigh. (If you want the crispy skin for the basket poutine and poutine balls just remove the skin and coat each thigh with the butter mixture. We will cover how to prep it a bit later)

Place turkey thighs in a 9-by-13 inch baking dish and roast 30- 40 minutes until skin is crispy and brown and juices run clear when meat is pierced with a knife (an instant-read thermometer should read 165F when inserted in thickest part of a thigh, avoiding bone).

Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

CRISPY SKIN (this is better than bacon)

Dry the turkey skin completely. Lay it bumpy side down on a cutting board and trim excess fat and flesh. Next take a sharp knife and scrape as much white fat from the skin (being careful not to tear it). Season it with sea salt and bake in a pre-heated over at 350F until golden and crispy. Let cool and set aside until you need it. Do not cover it or place it in a container otherwise it will get soggy.

10 Double Smoked Bacon Bread Stuffing

1/2 lb smoked slab bacon (1/2 inch dice) 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock (you can also use chicken stock) 1 loaf rye bread (cut into 1-inch cubes) 4 tbsp unsalted butter 1 cup celery (diced) 1 cup onion (diced) 1 cup carrot (diced) 1 tsp fresh sage (chopped) 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (off stem) sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

Preheat the oven to 375F.

Grease a large baking dish and set aside.

On a large baking sheet, lay out the bread and toast the cubes for about 15 minutes (tossing once halfway through), until lightly golden and dry. Transfer the bread to a large bowl.

In a skillet, fry the bacon until crispy. Drain and set aside but do not scrape out the pan. When bacon is cooled add to the greased baking dish.

To the pan you just fried the bacon in add the onion, celery and carrots cooking over medium heat until tender (called sweating the vegetables...onion will turn opaque), about 10 minutes. Add the sage and thyme, cooking until fragrant. Scrape contents of the pan into the bowl with the bacon and bread.

Pour the stock in small increments (about 1 cup at a time) into the bowl, tossing the contents until the bread soaks up the liquid. One final seasoning check andcover with foil.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. When ready bake the stuffing at 375F for 30 minutes covered by foil and an additional 30 minutes uncovered.

11 Stained Glass Cookies

1 cup soft butter 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla dash of salt 2 1/2 cup flour 1 cup slivered almonds, toasted 1/2 cup each halved red & green cherries

Cream butter and sugar, add vanilla, salt and flour.Stir in almonds and cherries. Knead until smooth. Form into rolls (or pack into mini loaf pan) Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm. You canfreeze and let barely thaw before using. Slice into 1/4” slices and bake on an ungreased baking sheet for 10 - 12 min in 350 oven. Bottoms should be barely brown. Remove to rack after 5 min. Let cool. Freezes well.

12 New Year’s Eve Coverage

Join us on Eastlink Community TV, channel 10 or HD 610 for full coverage of this year’s countdown, with a special edition of East Coast Music Unplugged airing nationally from 10 to 11pm, followed by New Year’s Eve with Eastlink.

Eastlink.ca/holiday