Recipes

On the ninth day of recipes, we suggest you get (or if you're luck - WIN) yourself a bottle of Vanilla Paste & a jar of ground cardamom to make...

Vanilla Cardamom Shortbread

The cardamom and vanilla in these little cookies make them the perfect accompaniment to a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Don’t forget to enter our contest before 6:30 PM on December 18th.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups butter, unsalted, softened
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• ½ cup corn starch
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground cardamom *
• 2 tsp. vanilla paste *
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, sift together flour, salt, corn starch and cardamom – set aside.
2. In a bowl with an electric mixer on medium, cream the butter until soft, add the icing sugar and mix on low until blended. Add the vanilla and slowly add the flour mixture.
3. Transfer the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap – chill for about an hour.
4. Pre-heat your oven to 300 degrees. Cut the ball in half and roll out with a rolling pin to about ¼ inch thick. Cut out with your favourite 2” cutter, and place on a cookie sheet about 2” apart.
5. Bake for 11 minutes being careful not to let them over bake or get brown.
6. Transfer to a cooling rack and when completely cool, keep them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

It's "cranberry" time and we want to share our Cranberry Apple Compote (scroll to the bottom of the page!) with you. Since it goes so well with our Orange Croissant Overnight Breakfast Casserole, we posted both recipes! We're sharing our favourite cranberry recipes throughout the month of December. What's your favourite cranberry recipe? Tell us in the comments or post on Facebook!

Orange Croissant Overnight Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients:

• 6 large or 12 mini butter croissants (day old are best)
• 1 cup orange marmalade*
• 5 eggs
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 1 ½ cup half and half
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• The zest of one orange
• 1 tbsp. melted butter
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. Grease a large baking dish with melted butter. Cut the croissants in half lengthwise leaving a piece still attached. Thin the marmalade slightly with orange juice and spoon inside the croissant.
2. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, vanilla extract and orange zest. Pour this batter over the croissants in the pan so that they are partly submerged. Soak them overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning (atleast 4 hours later) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
3. Pay close attention, you want the egg mixture to set and that the croissants just to start to brown. Serve immediately with compote.

Add this compote to your Orange Croissant Overnight Breakfast Casserole!

Cranberry Apple Compote

Ingredients:

• 1 medium orange, coarsely chopped
• 4 cups cranberries, washed and sorted
• 4 cups apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 2 ¾ cups white sugar
• 1 ½ cups raisins
• 1 ½ cups dried apricot, diced
• ¾ cup not from concentrate apple juice
• ½ cup candied fruit
• ¼ cup marmalade*
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger*
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon*
• ¾ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg*
• ¾ teaspoon ground allspice*
• ¼ cup brandy
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. Place orange chunks into food processor and pulse till peel is in small chunks. Place in a large saucepan.
2. Prepare remaining ingredients except brandy) and add to the pot as you go; stir to combine. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until very little liquid remains, about 45 minutes. Stir in brandy and continue to simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Let cool. Store airtight and refrigerate 3 weeks or freeze up to 3 months.

On the eighth day of recipes, we suggest you get (or if you're luck - WIN) yourself a container of Major Chicken Broth (gluten-free!) to make a...

Chicken Enchilada Soup

This soup will definitely take the chill off. Using a rotisserie chicken makes it super simple but it is also a great way to use leftover chicken. Feel free to adjust the spiciness of the soup by adding more or less jalapeño. This soup also freezes well so make a double batch and plan to freeze half of it for one of those Christmas vacation days you just can’t get our of your pyjamas! Don’t forget to enter our contest before 6:30 PM on December 16th.

Ingredients:

• Meat from 1 whole rotisserie chicken, pulled off the bones
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium size onion, diced
• 3 tbsp. all purpose flour
• 2 cups prepared Major chicken broth *
• 4 cups whole milk
• 2 tsp ground cumin *
• 2 tsp ground coriander *
• 1 whole, diced, seeded jalapeño
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 ½ cups frozen corn
• 2 cans of white beans, drained *
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• *Available from Well Seasoned

• Diced fresh avocado, sprinkled with freshly squeezed lime juice
• Grated cheese
• Sour cream
• Tortilla chip strips
• Freshly chopped cilantro
• Salsa

Instructions:

1. In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter, add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes or until the onion is translucent and soft.
2. Add flour, stirring into the onion mixture and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the cumin, coriander and stir to combine, add the chicken broth and cook, scraping the bottom of the pot to stir the brown bits into the liquid.
4. Add the milk. Turn the heat up to medium high and cook, whisking occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly - about 5 minutes.
5. Whisk in the sour cream and add the corn, beans, jalapeño and shredded chicken. Cook for 1 minute or so until everything is heated through.
6. Adjust salt & pepper to taste. Serve piping hot with all the trimmings!

As seen on Global TV, Angie Quaale mades a make-ahead Christmas morning breakfast! If you missed the recipe, here it is!

The Night Before - Spinach, Sun Dried Tomato & Mushroom Strata

Ingredients:

• 1 lb button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. olive oil*
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 8 ounces fresh spinach or 1 box frozen, chopped spinach thawed
• 1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• ½ cup grated gruyere cheese + extra for sprinkling
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese + extra for sprinkling
• 5 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups milk
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
• ¾ teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 large loaf (about 4 cups) stale sourdough bread, crusts removed, cut into 1/2" cubes
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. In a skillet with a lid, heat over medium high heat until pan is hot. Add the olive oil, sliced mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to the skillet and stir until the mushrooms are slightly browned adding the minced garlic for the last few minutes of the cooking time, being careful not to burn the garlic. Transfer the mushrooms to a medium bowl.
2. In the same pan, add the butter and sauté the fresh spinach until it just wilts. Transfer the spinach to a fine mesh sieve and press on the spinach with the back of a spoon to squeeze out all the excess liquid. Chop the spinach on a cutting board then add it to the mushrooms & garlic. Toss the sun-dried tomatoes with the spinach and mushrooms, set aside.
3. In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard powder, cayenne pepper, garlic salt, black pepper and remaining ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Stir in the cheeses.
4. Grease a 5 cup casserole dish. Add 1/3 of the bread cubes. Sprinkle with half of the vegetable mixture. Pour 1/3 of the egg and cheese mixture over the vegetables. Top with 1/3 of the bread cubes and the remaining half of the vegetables. Top with the remaining bread and pour the rest of the egg/cheese mixture evenly over the bread.
5. Use your hands to press the bread lightly into the mixture to soak up the egg custard. 
6. Top with a sprinkling of Gruyere and Parmesan cheese. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Take the strata out of the refrigerator half an hour before you're ready to bake.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake strata for 45-50 minutes until puffed, browned and bubbly. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. This recipe can easily be doubled.

On the seventh day of recipes, we suggest you get (or if you're luck - WIN) yourself a container of Monsoon Coast Durban curry & 1 package of basmati rice to make a...

Spicy Vegetable & Apricot Curry

We have long been fans of the Monsoon Coast spice line from Salt Spring Island. They know their way around a curry blend better than almost anyone! This one has a good amount of heat, feel free to add more or less depending on our tolerance for spice! Don’t forget to enter our contest before 6:30 PM on December 14th 2018.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. Well Seasoned olive oil *
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. ginger, minced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tsp. Monsoon Coast Durban Curry *
• 2 tsp. turmeric *
• 1 green apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• ¾ cup dried apricots, chopped and rehydrated (3 hours)
• 1 sweet red pepper, chopped
• ¾ lb. green beans, trimmed
• ½ lb. carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 ½ lb. cauliflower, in small florets
• 1 medium yam, peeled in ½ inch cubes
• 3 cups red cabbage, shredded
• 1 ½ cups Major prepared veggie stock *
• salt to taste
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. Sauté the onions in the oil until translucent, then add ginger, garlic, apple, red pepper, Durban Curry and turmeric.
2. Stirring regularly, add a ¼ cup of the stock, followed by the carrots and yam. As the vegetables start to soften over the next ten minutes or so, add enough stock to keep things slightly liquid and then add the apricots, the cauliflower, beans and cabbage. Add more stock as the apple and onions cook down and thicken the sauce. Add salt and more Durban Curry to taste.
3. When the carrots, cauliflower etc. are soft, stir together, remove from heat and let rest to merge the flavours. There should be enough sauce to surround and coat the other ingredients.
4. Serve over steamed basmati rice.

On the sixth day of recipes, we suggest you get (or if you're luck - WIN) yourself a container of Mackays' Vintage Dundee Marmalade and 1 container of Dutch cocoa to make a...

Chocolate Slump Cake

This is a very old, very English recipe that we adore! The combination of chocolate and orange is classic and this cake is incredibly hard to resist. Don’t forget to enter our contest before 6:30 PM on December 12th.

Ingredients:

• About 1/3 of a jar Mackays Vintage Dundee Orange Marmalade *
• ½ cup plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1 cup dark chocolate, chopped *
• 4 Eggs, separated
• ½ cup Dutch process cocoa powder *
• Pinch of salt
• Icing sugar, for dusting
• *Available from Well Seasoned

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375. Line the base & sides of a 9” round baking pan with baking paper.
2. Put the marmalade into a food processor & blitz until slushy. Add the sugar & mix again until the sugar has merged with the marmalade.
3. Put the butter into a pot & melt on a gentle heat. Add the chocolate & remove from the heat - allow this to sit for 2-3 minutes before stirring.
4. Add the marmalade & sugar mixture and transfer to a large bowl. Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture, then add the cocoa powder. Next, beat the egg whites & the pinch of salt together until it hits the soft peak stage.
5. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture as gently as you can, to keep all the air in the mixture.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan, smooth the top & bake for 30 minutes or until the centre has risen and set.
7. Remove from the oven & allow to cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes.
8. Remove it carefully, peel off the paper and serve, dusted with icing sugar.