Recipes

"One of the simplest and most surprising ways to enjoy chèvre is as a truffle! There is no chocolate involved, but the combination of savoury and sweet with the rich creaminess of the cheese and the crunchiness of the pistachios make this a perfect addition to a glass of BC wine! A customer in my store told me she had enjoyed a similar dish in Spain and I was intrigued, so I created this version. I serve the truffles on small plates, tapas–style, or add them to a cheese and charcuterie board. It’s fun to see the look of surprise when my guests eat their first one." - Angie Quaale, Eating Local in the Fraser Valley

Catch Angie on CBC today as she demonstrate how to prepare this delicious dish in time for the party season! Did you miss it live? We've got the video embedded at the bottom under the recipe!

Chèvre Cheese Truffles

If you're looking for inspiration this holiday season, look no further! This great recipe and more are available in our favourite local cookbook; Eating Local in the Fraser Valley. This cookbook and local foodie tour guide is one of our local features in the month's Christmas advent calendar event. It makes a great gift too!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shelled pistachios
• 8 oz fresh Milner Valley chèvre
• 24 seedless red or green grapes
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. To roast the nuts, preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the pistachios on an ungreased baking sheet and roast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. In a small food processor, process the toasted pistachios until finely chopped but not powdered; set aside in a small bowl.
2. Put about 2 tsp of the chèvre in the palm of your hand, flatten it into a disk, and place a grape on top. Fold the cheese over the grape and roll it to completely cover the grape in cheese. Place it on a baking sheet. Repeat this process until all of the grapes are coated or you run out of cheese.
3. Set the baking sheet with the grapes in the refrigerator, uncovered, for about 15 minutes to firm up. Then roll the cheese-coated grapes in the chopped pistachios until coated and return them to the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them. They will keep, covered with plastic wrap, for about 4 days.

Catch Angie on CBC today as she demonstrate how to prepare this delicious dish. Did you miss it live? We've got the video embedded at the bottom under the recipe!

Spicy Turkey Queso

If you're looking for inspiration this holiday season, look no further!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. Well Seasoned Extra Virgin Olive Oil*
• 8 ounces ground turkey thigh
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning*
• ½ teaspoon chili powder*
• ½ teaspoon cumin*
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste*
• 8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• ½ cup canned diced tomatoes
• ¼ cup canned chopped green chilis
• ¼ cup your favourite salsa
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a medium sized frying pan over medium high heat. Add ground turkey, Cajun seasoning, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes, making sure to crumble the turkey as it cooks.
2. Add cream cheese and stir until melted. Stir in Monterey Jack cheese, diced tomatoes, green chilis and salsa until well combined.
3. Add cilantro and 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!

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.

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!

Oven Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs

Today's feature recipe uses Prairie Smoke & Spice's award winning sauces and all-purpose rub to bring the BBQ inside for a delicious oven-baked meal!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Prairie Smoke & Spice Blue Ribbin’ BBQ Sauce
• ½ cup Prairie Smoke & Spice All Purpose BBQ Rub
• 12 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Generously season both sides of the chicken thighs with the dry rub and place them skin-side down on a sheet pan and place in the oven. Roast for 25 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven, brush some sauce all over the thighs, turning them over to coat the bottom as well. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes more. Remove from the oven, brush on more sauce, and increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.
4. Continue roasting the chicken thighs until the sauce is starting to brown around the edges and the thighs are totally cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes more.
5. Remove from the oven and let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving. You might want to make a double batch….these never last long!

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!

Coconut Hot Chocolate

Combine Coconut Milk and Chocolate Almond Milk with some wicked good chocolate and you've got yourself a decadent cup of comfort. You know our hot chocolate rule: NEVER just add water!! Not sure about coconut milk? Check out Chef Carl's video all about using coconut water, milk and cream when cooking. Now all you need are some Gone Kooky cookies to go with! They are today's Local Advent Calendar feature!

(And perhaps you have some Bailey's kicking around...cause that always makes a nice addition.)

Ingredients:

• 1 pouch De Siam coconut milk*
• 1 ½ cups unsweetened chocolate almond milk
• ½ cup dark chocolate, chopped*
• 1 or 2 tablespoons Valrhona cocoa powder*
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract*
• Small pinch of sea salt, to taste
• For topping: Homemade whipped cream & toasted coconut, coconut milk whipped cream & ground cinnamon and/or marshmallows.
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. Add coconut milk and almond milk to a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Whisk in chocolate chips, cacao powder and vanilla; mixing until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. We recommend starting with 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder, tasting, then adding more in if you feel it’s necessary. Lastly add in a pinch of sea salt. Taste and adjust flavour as necessary.
Top with slightly sweetened whipped cream, whipped coconut cream or marshmallows. Makes 2 servings.

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!

Chai-Tini

Well Seasoned Advent Day 4 Feature Item: Monsoon Coast Railway Chai. Monsoon Coast Railway Chai is a great gift for a host/hostess or the tea lover on your gift list. The small company, located on Salt Spring Island, makes traditional Indian Spices accessible to western palates. Their chai mixtures will transport your taste buds away to Central India while you enjoy an aromatic cup.

Today's feature recipe is spicy cocktail that will delight you and your guests this holiday season.

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp Railway Chai*
• 1 oz Vodka
• ½ oz Vanilla Vodka
• ½ oz Triple Sec
• Crushed ice
• Garnish: 1 whole star anise or cinnamon stick*

• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. Place the Railway Chai spices into a martini shaker and pound with a muddler (or crush with a mortar and pestle).
2. Add vodka, vanilla vodka and Triple Sec let rest for 3 minutes to infuse the flavours.
3. Add the crushed ice and shake until really cold (our rule is 40 times). Use a small strainer and pour into a chilled martini glass.
4. Garnish with a whole star anise or cinnamon stick.