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These delicious dishes change up traditional recipes with tasty twists to keep you from falling into a rut as summer turns to fall.
Bacon Mac ‘N Cheese (‘N Squash)
The butternut squash blends right into the cheese sauce, making it creamy while packing a vitamin punch. Serves 4-6.
- 1 lb. (455 g) macaroni, cooked
- ½ lb. (225 g) maple cured bacon, crispy and crumbled
- ½ butternut squash, roasted and pureed
- ½ cup (125 mL) grated cheddar cheese
- Salt
For the Sauce
- 2 tbsp. (30 mL) butter
- 3 tbsp. (45 mL) flour
- 1 cup + ½ cup (375 mL) milk
- 1 + ½ cups (375 mL) grated cheddar cheese
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees (200 C). Coat a 9” x 13” pan with cooking spray.
- Prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan, melt butter on medium-low. Do not allow it to brown. Add flour and whisk to form a paste. Cook on low for about 6 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in 1-cup (250 mL) milk, ¼ cup (50 mL) at a time. Heat thoroughly without boiling.
- Add grated cheese, stirring constantly. Blend in up to ½ cup (125 mL) more milk, until sauce is a creamy consistency. Remove from heat.
- Stir macaroni and bacon in pan. Fold in squash and cheese sauce. Add salt to taste.
- Top with remaining grated cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melted.

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White Bean & Sausage ‘Cassoulet’
Traditional cassoulet can be laborious and expensive to make, but this slow cooker version captures its essence with a lot less work. Turnip adds an earthy, rich flavour. Serves 6-8.
- 1 lb. (455 g) dried navy beans
- 1 28-oz. (793 g) can whole tomatoes, with juice
- 1-2 turnips, peeled and diced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 lb. (455 g) kielbasa, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
- 2 cups (500 mL) chicken stock
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
- Bay leaves
- Salt
- Mix beans, vegetables, and sausage in a large slow cooker. Top with garlic and spices. Cover with stock.
- Cook on high for 5-6 hours, until beans are tender. Remove spices.
- Add salt to taste.

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Chai-Spiced Caramel Apple Cobbler
Taking the time to infuse spices into the sauce for this amazing dessert is worth the effort. Serves 4-6.
- 4-6 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
- ¼ tsp. (1 mL) cinnamon
- ¼ cup (50 mL) flour
- 1 cup (250 mL) brown sugar
- 1 cup (250 mL) water
- 2 tbsp. (30 mL) butter, melted
- 1 tsp. (5 mL) vanilla
- ¼ tsp. (1 mL) salt
For the Biscuit Topping
- ½ cup (125 mL) flour
- ½ cup (125 mL) sugar
- ½ tsp. (2 mL) baking powder
- pinch salt
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp. (2 mL) vanilla
- 8 tbsp. butter (1 stick)
Spices for Infusion
- 1 tbsp. (15 mL) green cardamom pods