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Whether you’ve invited guests, or just want to present your family with a special supper, these dishes, bursting with seasonal flavours, are sure to bring warmth to your kitchen without the need to spend all day cooking.
Photo: Justin Counter
Honey Garlic Drumsticks with Mashed Parsnips and Carrots
This family recipe will have you licking your sticky fingers.
- 10 chicken legs, bone-in and skin-on (remove skin if desired)
- 3-4 parsnips, peeled and sliced
- 3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
- Butter and salt, to taste
For the sauce
- ¾ cup (175 mL) brown sugar
- ¾ cup (175 mL) water
- 3 tbsp. (45 mL) soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. (30 mL) corn starch
- 1 tbsp. (15 mL) honey
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (190 C). Place chicken in a foil-lined baking dish.
- In a small saucepan, bring water, soy sauce, brown sugar, and honey to a boil. Add garlic and mix in corn starch, stirring constantly.
- Allow sauce to boil until thickened, about 3 minutes. Pour over chicken. Bake chicken for 60 minutes, or until meat is cooked. Turn every 15-20 minutes to coat with sauce.
- Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil. Add sliced carrots and parsnips and boil until soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain. Mash, adding butter and salt as desired. Cover and keep warm.
- Serve chicken and mashed vegetables drizzled with honey garlic sauce from the pan.
Photo: Justin Counter
Hazelnut Currant Rice Pilaf with Brussels Sprouts
My picky eater loved this sweet and savoury pilaf – even the sprouts.
- 1 cup (250 mL) long grain white rice
- 2 tbsp. (30 mL) olive oil
- 1 cup (250 mL) unsalted whole hazelnuts
- 1/3 cup (75 mL) currants
- 2 cups (500 mL) Brussels sprouts, washed and quartered
- 2 cups (500 mL) chicken broth
- Salt, to taste
- In a deep-lidded pot or Dutch oven, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the rice and toss to coat. Toast the rice for 3-5 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the hazelnuts, sprouts and currants, and mix thoroughly. Pour the broth over the mixture, and stir gently to ensure it is mixed.
- Cover the pot and allow the pilaf to simmer for 15 minutes or until cooked through. Fluff with a fork, salt as desired, and serve hot.
Photo: Justin Counter
Roasted Orange Tart
Store-bought puff pastry makes this elegant-looking dessert easy to make. You may peel the oranges if you don’t care for the peel.
- 4 navel oranges, sliced thin
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) sugar
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1/4 cup (50 mL) honey
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees (162 C). Arrange orange slices on a rimmed baking sheet, and sprinkle liberally with sugar. Add water to just cover oranges.
- Bake for 2 hours, checking every 30 minutes to make sure they don’t dry out. Add water as needed. When the oranges are finished, the rind will be translucent. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Turn the oven up to 400 degrees (204 C). Unroll the puff pastry sheet onto a baking sheet. Arrange the orange slices in the middle of the pastry sheet, leaving about a half an inch border on all sides – this will allow the edges to puff up and make a crust.
- Bake the tart for 15-20 minutes, until puffed and browned. Remove from oven and cool.
- In a microwave-safe dish, heat the honey for 30 seconds so it becomes runny. Drizzle over oranges. Serve immediately.