Series: 12 Days of Recipes

We're doing a December Advent Calendar, counting down amazing local products until Christmas. Not only do all of our items make great gifts, AND you have a chance to win the whole set (check out our contest), we're working to pair a recipe with each day!

Avocado Aji Devilled Eggs

Aji pairs well with every meal you prepare, and they have a variety of spice levels so everyone can enjoy this locally made taste of South America. Today's recipe puts a spin on a party staple:

Ingredients:

• 12 large eggs, hard boiled – peeled & halved
• 2 large very ripe avocados
• 1 small bunch of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup Aji Chunky Chili Condiment*
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. Scoop avocado & egg yolks into a bowl and mash.
2. Add ½ cup Aji and mix to taste.
3. Spoon or pipe the avocado mixture into the egg whites. Garnish with fresh cilantro & serve immediately.

We're doing a December Advent Calendar, counting down amazing local products until Christmas. Not only do all of our items make great gifts, AND you have a chance to win the whole set (check out our contest), we're working to pair a recipe with each day!

Super Simple Squash Soup - Courtesy of Haupy's Seasonings

Haupy's Beaver Rub is a beautiful, mildly spicy Canadian seasoning. It is an original flavour, with a taste and style that is sure to delight. And while we recommend you have some on hand as a meat rub, it is delicious in soup! Today's recipe comes from Haupy's Seasonings kitchen:

Ingredients:

• 2 medium butternut squash peeled and diced into 1" cubes
• 3 tablespoons of Well Seasoned Extra Virgin Olive Oil*
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 large piece of ginger, peeled and minced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 8 cups chicken broth*
• 2 tablespoons of Haupy's Beaver Rub*
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. Put olive oil, onion, squash, garlic and minced ginger into a pot. Now add Haupy's world famous Beaver Rub. Mix together and sauté on medium heat until fully coated.
2. dd the broth and bring to boil on medium heat. Cook until the squash becomes soft. Mash squash with a potato masher in a pot, leaving it as chunky. Add more broth if needed.
3. Stir in the corn. Garnish the soup with chopped green onion, parsley, or minced red pepper. Delicious!

We're doing a December Advent Calendar, counting down amazing local products until Christmas. Not only do all of our items make great gifts, AND you have a chance to win the whole set (check out our contest), we're working to pair a recipe with each day!

Buttermilk Panna Cotta

"This is one of those great make-ahead desserts that impresses, yet is deceptively simple to prepare. The layer of preserves is so pretty, you'll want to make this in glass containers. As it happens, jam jars are perfect! If you have the patience, you can make this in two batches to produce layers; if not, simply put the preserves on the bottom." - From The Preservatory

Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 tbsp preserves (suggestions below)
• 1 tbsp powdered gelatin
• ¼ cup cold water
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup sugar
• Seeds from one vanilla bean
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Three Perfect Preserve Pairing suggested by The Preservatory:

• Rhubarb & Vanilla (page 29, The Preservatory)
• Rainier Cherry & Kirsch (page 41, The Preservatory)
• Strawberry & Roses (page 34, The Preservatory)

Instructions:

1. Lightly butter or apply nonstick spray to six to eight 4-oz ramekins or jam jars. Place 1 tbsp preserves in each and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, mix gelatin into cold water and let sit for about 10 minutes
   to bloom.
3. Combine cream, sugar and seeds from the vanilla bean in a saucepan over medium heat. Carefully heat to a low simmer, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and stir in gelatin mixture. Add buttermilk and stir to combine into warm cream.
4. Cool slightly, then strain the mixture. Pour the strained cream, carefully, over preserves in the ramekins. Refrigerate 4 hours to set.

We're doing a December Advent Calendar, counting down amazing local products until Christmas. Not only do all of our items make great gifts, AND you have a chance to win the whole set (check out our contest), we're working to pair a recipe with each day!

Shrub Vinaigrette

Today's feature recipe uses our favourite booze witch shrub: Tamarind Pineapple!

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. Boozewitch Pineapple Tamarind Shrub
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard*
• ¼ tsp. salt*
• ¼ tsp. black pepper*
• 1 small clove garlic, finely minced
• 6 tbsp. Well Seasoned Extra Virgin Olive Oil*
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. Whisk all the ingredients together until emulsified. Dress your favorite salad.

We're doing a December Advent Calendar, counting down amazing local products until Christmas. Not only do all of our items make great gifts, AND you have a chance to win the whole set (check out our contest), we're working to pair a recipe with each day!

Penne with Spinach, Tomato e Gusto – Courtesy of the House of Q

Today's feature recipe uses House of Q's Premium Spice; Gusto D'Italia mix, to bring a spicy kick to this delicious

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. butter
• ½ an onion – diced
• 4 cloves Garlic – crushed
• 1 can diced tomatoes (796 ml)
• 300 grams frozen spinach
• 1 cup half and half cream
• 1 tbsp. House of Q Gusto D’Italia (a bit more for a spicier sauce)*
• 1 tbsp. dried basil*
• About 80g penne per serving*
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, boil 3-4 liters of salted water. Cook the pasta for 6-8 minutes but still a little under-cooked… budget about 80 grams or so per serving for a good portion.
2. While the water is coming to boil, melt the butter and soften the diced onions in a large skillet. Once soft, add the spinach, Gusto D’Italia and basil and then the tomatoes. Simmer covered for 10 minutes or so or until much of the moisture has evaporated.
3. Meanwhile, once the pasta is cooked, drain and put the pasta into the sauce mixture. Continue to simmer for another 10 minutes stirring every few minutes or until any remaining excess water is absorbed by the pasta or evaporated. Check the pasta for doneness – it should be soft at this point but not mushy. Add the cream and stir to mix thoroughly.
4. To serve, place in bowls, grate some hard cheese on top like Asiago or Parmesan and serve hot!

We're doing a December Advent Calendar, counting down amazing local products until Christmas. Not only do all of our items make great gifts, AND you have a chance to win the whole set (check out our contest), we're working to pair a recipe with each day!

Homemade Naan Bread – the perfect accompaniment to your Butter Chicken

Well Seasoned Advent Day 7 Feature Item: SpiceWorks All-in-One Butter Chicken & Mango Curry Dip Mix. Everyone loves fresh Naan and Butter Chicken. It's the ultimate comfort food. SpiceWorks makes your main prep easy, gets the kitchen smelling delicious, and allows you to focus on making fresh bread that will convert even the most cautious foodie. Based in Surrey, this local company has amazing mixes that will have you whipping out meals in under and hour without resorting to fast food during the hectic season.

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ cup water lukewarm
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg large
• ¼ cup plain yogurt
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 12 tsp. Well Seasoned Extra Virgin Olive Oil*
• 4 tbsp butter melted
• 2 tbsp parsley chopped
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. Heat the oven to 200 F degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the yeast, sugar and water. Lightly whisk it all together, then let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes or until the yeast dissolves and starts to foam.
3. To the same bowl, add the oil, yogurt, egg and whisk well. Set aside.
4. In a separate, large bowl, combine the flour with the salt. Add the yeast mixture and mix with your stand mixer for a couple minutes, until the dough comes clean from the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too wet, add a bit more flour, starting with a tablespoon at a time. The dough should be nice and soft but not sticky. Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover it with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Turn OFF your oven, place the bowl inside and allow to rise for about 30 minutes to 1 hour or until doubled in size.
5. After it rises, cut the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape each piece into a small ball.
6. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and add about 1 tsp of olive oil. Roll out one ball at a time until it's about 1/3-inch-thick and about 5 inches in diameter. Add the piece of rolled dough to the hot skillet and cook for about 1 minute, the skillet should be very hot, so you'll see bubbles forming as you cook the dough on the first side. Flip the dough and cook the other side until the bottom is golden.
7. Repeat with remaining dough until all of the pieces are cooked. Keep the naan covered in a towel so that it doesn't dry out. When all of them are cooked, brush each one with the melted butter and garnish with some parsley.