The Yum Yum Factor

Yes, Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving. It always coincides with Columbus Day in the States so if you Americans are looking for another excuse to enjoy a magical turkey dinner, claim yourselves some Canadian relatives, throw together a cornucopia and start a new family tradition. Turkey for Columbus Day! Knowing that most families never deviate from the sacred Thanksgiving menu that your great grandmother Alma set out, if you are feeling like you would like to shake things up a bit this weekend and switch out the mashed, buttered and brown sugared turnip,here are some ideas for you: Don't feel like actually cooking a big turkey but still want all of the flavours? Try this  Cranberry Glazed Turkey Meatloaf  and serve it with all the trimmings. Bust out of your stuffing doldrums and try my recipe for  Portuguese Corn Bread Stuffing  (if you can't find cornbread you can use any heavy, country style bread like sourdough or something) You can ma...

I LOVE turkey dinner, I love stuffing and I love stuffing that has been cooked inside the turkey. I know, I know, everyone says it's best to cook it outside of the turkey, call it dressing instead and stuff the turkey with aromatics but I don't care. That's not how I roll. I have been using Portuguese corn bread for at least 20 years or more now because it's so dense and heavy that it is the only bread that doesn't fall apart and turn to mush. It stays soft, moist and delicious but most of the bread cubes kind of retain their shape. I do tinker with it, sometimes adding nuts or chestnuts, leaving the cranberries out,  changing up the pancetta or crumbled italian sausage or chorizo, leaving meat out but I try to never change up the type of bread I use if I can help it. Portuguese Corn Bread Stuffing 1 loaf portuguese corn bread 2 stalks celery, finely chopped 1/2 fennel bulb, finely chopped 1/4 cup butter 1 leek, halved lengthwise and sliced 2 ...