Bacon & Leek Stuffing

I love traditional dishes but once in a while I like to change things up.  I usually stuff the turkey with my grandmother’s recipe but this year I decided to try a stuffing recipe in “What to Cook & How to Cook it” by Jane Hornby.  Instead of stuffing a turkey, I will be serving these individual parcels of stuffing goodness.  You can make the stuffing parcels in advance and freeze them.  On Thanksgiving day, simply thaw them in the refrigerator and cook as directed.

Make-Ahead Turkey with Gravy

I know this post is long but don’t be intimidated by its length; It is by no mean an indicator of the level of difficulty of this recipe.  I simply detailed each step as much as possible to render the roasting process easier.

I’m a big fan of roasting my turkey the day (or even a couple of days) before Thanksgiving dinner.  Not only is it hassle-free on Thanksgiving day but I find the taste to be even better once the turkey is reheated.  You may even cook your turkey a week or two prior and freeze it.  Make sure you allow sufficient time to thaw the turkey before reheating it for Thanksgiving dinner.

The steps below are for a Make-Ahead turkey but you can follow the same steps if you choose to roast your turkey on Thanksgiving Day.

For the stuffing, I’ve decided to try something new this year.  Instead of stuffing the turkey, I will be making little stuffing parcels (recipe available tomorrow).  If you wish to stuff your turkey, make sure you allow at least an extra 30 minute of cooking time.

Cheese Platter and Sweet & Spicy Candied Pecans

Cheese platters are my favourite mostly because I ADORE cheese but also because they are so easy to assemble.  For my Thanksgiving dinner I will be serving this cheese platter as my appetizer.  

Crab Cakes with Secret Sauce

These crab cakes are easy to prepare and this recipe can be doubled or tripled if you wish to make more cakes to freeze.  Make sure you cook the crab cakes before freezing them.  To heat up, cook the thawed cakes for 10 minutes in the oven at 350°F.

If you’ve never worked with crabmeat you can purchase pre-packaged chunks of crabmeat at your grocery store of fish market; Any grade of crabmeat will work for this recipe but I prefer to use claw crabmeat; it’s the least expensive option and most flavourful grade.  If you choose frozen crabmeat, make sure to fully thaw it before you make the cakes.

Guacamole!

It's finally the weekend!  On Fridays, I like to prepare a big batch of Margaritas and some delicious guacamole with tortilla chips.  

This recipe is also the perfect side dish for beef fajitas or a dip for vegetables.  The avocado flesh will start browning as soon as it's scooped out.  The lime juice and adding one of the pits to the guacamole before serving will slow down the oxidation.  Although the browning may not look as appetizing as the beautiful green color of the avocado flesh, the taste will remain the same for at least the first 24 to 48 hours.

Coq au Vin

Although the official first day of fall is two weeks away, I feel like summer is over after Labour day.  I start noticing how the days have become shorter, mornings are bit cooler and all I want to do is curl up on the couch and read a good book.

When it comes to cooking, I’m always excited to revisit recipes I put aside during summer.  During the warmer months, I prefer lighter recipes such as grilled meats on the BBQ and crisp salads with fresh ingredients from the market.  As autumn approaches, I crave those hardy dishes that warm you up when it’s cold outside.

My favorite dish for fall is my mom’s Coq au Vin.  This was one of the first “go-to” recipe I added to my repertoire.   It’s very easy to make and I personally find that although you can prepare this dish and eat it right away, it is much better when frozen and eaten on a later day.  I’m not sure why that is it but I like to believe that something magical happens in the freezer when I shut the door and the Coq au Vin comes out even more delicious!

Coq au vin is originally a dish from the Burgundy region of France.  The traditional version of this recipe consists of poultry, red wine, lardons (thin pieces of bacon), pearl onions and mushrooms.  I substituted the pearl onions for chopped ones mostly because I hate to peel pearl onions but feel free to use them if you have you prefer their taste.

Hello!

Hello!  I’m La Gourmande; a Montréalaise living in Toronto.  I grew up in a French Canadian family where food always played a pivotal role.  Eating and enjoying food was always the main focus of all family gatherings as well as every day life.  I never trained as a professional chef but I share a passion for cooking and baking.