goes with the turkey

It's the week of Thanksgiving! Time to get cooking and baking!

Homemade Pumpkin Purée

makes 3-4 cups

INGREDIENTS:

1 sugar pumpkin

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 400F (205C).

2. Rinse pumpkin, cut in half and de-seed. Place cut sides down on a baking sheet. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes or until tender.

3. Scrape out flesh and purée. Use in your favourite pumpkin recipe or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days before using. Can also be frozen up to 3 months.

Our pumpkin favourites include: Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Pumpkin Cupcakes and Pumpkin Banana Muffins.

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Cranberry Blood Orange Relish

makes about 1.5 cups

INGREDIENTS:

1 bag fresh or frozen cranberries (1/2 lbs)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup blood orange juice

1 tsp blood orange zest

METHOD:

1. Combine all in a wide sauté pan. Cook over medium while stirring. Cranberries will burst and once mixture is slightly thickened, remove from heat.

2. Pour into a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

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Green Apple & Cranberry Brioche Stuffing

makes about 8 cups

INGREDIENTS:

2 large brioches or 1 loaf challah, cubed

1 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery, chopped

1 green apple, peeled and diced

1 package fully cooked breakfast sausages, chopped

2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup apple juice

METHOD:

1. In a large bowl, combine bread cubes, cranberries and parsley. Set aside.

2. In a wide sauté pan melt butter over medium high. Add onion, carrot, celery and cook for 10 minutes or until soft.

3. Add apple, sausage and cook for 5 minutes longer. Add thyme.

4. Remove from heat and combine with bread mixture.

5. Add eggs, apple juice and season. Mix well and add more chopped thyme if it's not aromatic enough. Stuffing should be slightly moist, add more juice if necessary.

6. Stuffing can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

7. Stuff loosely into turkey right before roasting. Butter a casserole dish and add remaining stuffing. Dot with butter and moisten with turkey drippings, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes until slightly browned in a 350F (180C) oven.

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Pan Gravy

makes about 5-6 cups depending on the amount of pan juices

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup water + 4 tbsp corn starch

4 cups turkey or chicken stock (preferably homemade)

turkey pan juices

dash of cream and Port (optional)

salt and pepper

METHOD:

1. Dissolve cornstarch in water in a liquid measuring cup. Set aside.

2. In a medium pot, add stock and de-fatted turkey pan juices. Bring to a simmer.

3. Slowly whisk in corn starch solution to thicken gravy. Increase solution until desired consistency.

4. Remove from heat, add cream and season to taste.

5. Strain into gravy boat and serve hot.