Turkey Lasagna with Ricotta, Mushrooms & Spinach

One of the ultimate comfort foods, this light, creamy and über cheesy Turkey Lasagna with Ricotta, Mushrooms & Spinach is a luscious lower fat version of the classic Italian favourite. Extra lean ground turkey keeps things light, but seasoning it with sweet Italian sausage and crushed fennel seeds gives this dish a boost of extra flavour. The addition of fresh spinach, cremini mushrooms and a generous blend of four cheeses — creamy ricotta, mozzarella cheese, tangy goat cheese and piquant Parmigiano-Reggiano — all topped with a hearty Marinara sauce, makes this a rich and satisfying lasagna. Layers of delicious turkey meat sauce, creamy cheeses and tender pasta topped with a layer of golden melted cheese, is comfort food at its best.




Turkey Lasagna with Ricotta, Mushrooms & Spinach
Serves 6-8

Recipe and photo courtesy of 'get-me-cooking'

2 tbsp olive oil
1lb lean ground turkey
1/2 lb sweet Italian turkey sausages, casings removed
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
2 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and trimmed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
8oz cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 cups fresh mozzarella, grated
4 oz goat cheese
2 cups ricotta
5 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought
1 large egg, slightly beaten
16 plain, whole wheat or spinach no-boil lasagna noodles
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped


In a large skillet, add olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onions and sauté until translucent. Add the ground turkey, turkey sausage, mushrooms, spinach, oregano, crushed fennel seeds, salt and pepper and cook until the meat is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Once cooked, set the turkey mixture aside and turn off the heat.

 In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1/2 cup of Parmesan, egg, 1 tablespoon of parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Ladle a layer of marinara along the bottom of a 9x12-inch rectangle baking dish. Add a single layer of lasagna noodles overtop, overlapping the pasta sheets slightly, so the lasagna will not fall apart when served. Layer a thin layer of ricotta over the pasta sheets, then sprinkle a single layer of the turkey meat. Layer a quarter of the mozzarella over the turkey meat, then repeat starting with the marinara sauce, the noodles and so forth until your baking dish is full. Layer the last bit of parmesan cheese on top so it creates a crust for the top of the lasagna.

Put aluminum foil over the top of the baking dish and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 15 minutes. Serve warm with an extra dollop of marinara sauce on top right before serving with the parsley to decorate.

Roast Squash with Sausage, Farro & Spinach

Acorn squash is absolutely delicious when roasted and topped with a pat of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup, but when filled with a hearty stuffing of fennel sausage, baby spinach, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, nutty farro and delicate goat cheese, it’s a meal in itself. Bursting with lots of comforting fall flavours and perfumed with fresh thyme, cinnamon and cumin, this fabulous Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Sausage, Farro & Spinach brings the spirit of autumn home in this hearty and nutritious one 'bowl' dish.




Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Sausage, Farro & Spinach
Serves 2 as a main course
photo:courtesy Matthew Mead

1 acorn squash
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup farro
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large shallot, chopped finely
2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
8 oz mixed mushrooms, chopped
1/2 fennel bulb, finely chopped with fronds reserved
1 cup fennel sausage, casings removed
2 cups fresh baby spinach, washed and trimmed
2 oz crumbled goat cheese


Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in the centre. Cut the acorn squash in half and scoop out all of the seeds with a spoon. Rub the inside and outside with a tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, or until fork tender. Turn off the oven and let the squash remain warm inside.

While the squash is roasting, rinse the farro in a strainer under cold running water. Have 4 cups of salted water boiling in a large pot, drop in the farro, stir and get water to a steady, lively simmer. Partially cover the pot and cook 30 to 45 minutes, or until tender. Drain the farro in a sieve and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook the fennel sausage in a medium sauté pan until cooked through, about 10 minutes. In a large saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the garlic, shallots, fennel and spices for about 8 minutes. Add the sausage meat, dried cranberries, mushrooms and pecans and cook for a few more minutes. Mix in the farro and cook for another minute or two. Sprinkle half of the cheese into the mixture and stir until melted, then add the spinach, mixing until it becomes wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove the acorn squash from the oven and the mound the farro mixture inside each of the halves. Sprinkle the remainder of the goat cheese, a few fennel fronds and serve immediately.

Grilled Polenta with Wild Mushroom Ragu & Chèvre

Polenta and cheese are a wonderful combination, and the addition of grilled wild mushrooms such as chanterelles, crimini, oyster, shiitake or portobello, makes this dish downright heavenly. Plain white button mushrooms just don't do the trick — they're not flavourful enough. The cooked and cooled polenta can be cut into all kinds of shapes and simply grilled or baked to make an excellent base for lots of tempting toppings. Here the polenta is flavoured with Taleggio cheese and finished in the oven with a little fresh grated parmesan. 

Fluffy and creamy on the inside and lovely and crispy on the outside, the polenta pairs beautifully with the rich and hearty mushroom ragu, which is made with minced shallots, garlic and wild mushrooms cooked together then deglazed with Marsala wine. Heavy cream, beef broth and a tablespoon of butter towards the end, for a luscious and velvety texture. Finished with some crumbled goat cheese and a flurry of fresh thyme, this recipe for Grilled Polenta with Wild Mushrooms & Chèvre makes a delicious rich starter or light main course with a small green salad and simple vinaigrette.





Grilled Polenta with Wild Mushroom Ragu & Chèvre
Serves 4
photo courtesy of Renée of 'sweet sugar bean'

Taleggio Polenta:
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup ground cornmeal
3 oz Taleggio or Gruyère cheese, grated
1 oz Parmesan, grated
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter

Wild Mushroom Ragu:
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 lb assorted wild mushrooms: crimini, oyster, shiitake or portobello
2 cloves garlic, mined
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
3 tbsp Marsala wine
1/4 cup beef broth
2 tsp fresh thyme
1/3 cup whipping cream
small handful fresh parsley, chopped
salt, pepper to taste
8 oz goat cheese, crumbled for garnish


Bring the stock to the boil in a large saucepan. Pour in the cornmeal in a steady stream, stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent lumps from forming. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat, add the salt and stir in the Taleggio or Gruyère cheese, until the mixture becomes lovely and creamy. Pour the polenta onto a baking tray and spread it out into an 8"x10" rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Leave to cool for about 30 minutes or until set.

For the mushroom ragu: Using a mushroom brush or a paper towel, gently clean the mushrooms. Cut the end of the stem off, and then slice into medium sized slices. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan, and over medium heat sauté the mushrooms until tender and browned, stirring often. Add the shallots, garlic and Marsala wine, and cook another 3 minutes or so. Stir in the beef broth, thyme, whipping cream and season with salt and pepper. Let it reduce down a little and thicken, about 2-3 minutes.

To make the polenta rounds, use a 3-inch round cookie cutter or upturned glass to stamp out 8 cakes. Place the slices on a parchment lined baking sheet and broil until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Flip over, sprinkle each slice with parmesan cheese and broil again, until cheese is melted and brown. Remove from broiler and set aside.

To serve, arrange one polenta slice per plate, top with some mushrooms, then another polenta slice, then more mushrooms. Garnish with crumbled goat cheese and garnish with fresh thyme.

Beach Bistro Two-Rim Grilled Jumbo Shrimp

This popular 'Two-Rim' grilled shrimp dish from the award-winning Beach Bistro on Anna Maria Island in south Florida is served with citrus grits or crunchy Asian slaw. A harmony of delicious ingredients, the flavours are a fusion of the Atlantic Rim: Nova Scotia maple syrup, Gulf Coast Shrimp and Caribbean flavours; and from the Pacific Rim: the Hoisin. The final presentation, which is colourful and absolutely delicious, can also be grilled in advance and served chilled for a spectacular first course or a light smaller plate.

Opened in 1985 by Sean Murphy and his wife Susan Timmins, Beach Bistro’s focus from inception was perfection. One of Sean’s favourite sayings is, "If you pursue perfection you will achieve a high degree of excellence a good part of the time." Sean and the company’s ambition has been the same throughout the Bistro’s twenty-six-year history — to provide you with one of the best dining experiences that you've ever had — and they do it every time.

Beach Bistro Grilled Jumbo Shrimp with Asian Slaw
Serves 4
Recipe and photo courtesy Beach Bistro

Grilled Shrimp:
30-40 large/jumbo shrimp

Hoisin Barbecue Sauce:
6 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp Asian fish sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
1/3 cup shallots, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/8 tbsp Chinese five spice
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1/3 cup sugar


For the barbecue sauce, stir together all ingredients, except the sugar, in a bowl. Cook sugar in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until sugar is melted into a deep, golden caramel. Carefully pour and stir the sugar into the hoisin mixture and then return the combined ingredients into the pan. Cook over moderate to low heat, stirring until caramel is dissolved and sauce is thickened, six to eight minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Preheat grill on high for ten minutes. Adjust the heat to medium-high and turn one burner off. While grill is coming to temperature, brush shrimp with Asian barbecue sauce. Oil grill rack and grill shrimp two minutes each side or until grilling sauce starts to brown. Set shrimp on the edge of the grilling area until done through. Remove shrimp from grill and plate on top of Asian slaw or chunky garlic toast warmed on the grill. This dish is extra special with a drizzle garnish of chimichurri sauce for extra flavour and colour.



Asian Slaw
Serves 4

1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp Asian fish sauce
1 tbsp cilantro, minced
1/2 tbsp Sriracha chilli sauce
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 carrot, julienned
1/2 cup green papaya, julienned
1/2 jicama, julienned
1/2 green apple, julienned

Combine the first six ingredients in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients into the bowl. Toss to coat and chill until ready to serve. This can be made up to six hours in advance.



Chimichurri Sauce
Serves 4

15 sprigs curly-leaf parsley, finely chopped
4 sprigs of mint, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp granulated sugar
8 ounces blended oil - 80% olive + 20% canola
Salt and pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients into a blender or small food processor and puree. Drizzle blended oil during the puree to emulsify. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside for at least two hours to allow the flavors to marry. Pouring the sauce in a squeeze bottle makes it much easier for drizzling.

Herbes de Provence Croûtons

As Erma Bombeck said, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Similarily, when life gives you leftover baguettes, bread or bagels, make homemade croutons. It always seems a waste to throw away food, and with a little oil, some salt, pepper and a good grind of Herbes de Provence, you've got a delicious addition to any salad or soup. The best news is that they also freeze beautifully.

Herbes de Provence Croûtons

Makes 3 cups

3 cups leftover bread, baguette or bagels, cut into 1/4 to 1/2-inch cubes

2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil

1/2 tsp each of salt and fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp Herbes de Provence, ground

Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil starts to ripple, add the cubes of bread and toss constantly to coat each of the croutons. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence, and continue to sauté until each of the croutons are browned nicely on all sides, about 10 minutes. Once browned, remove the skillet from the heat and allow the croutons to cool down before serving, or store in resealable plastic bags and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Monkey Room Nut Tart: A Thanksgiving Treat

The first time I had this tart was in the Monkey Room at The Colony Beach Club in Sarasota many years ago. The Colony has since closed, but my memory of this extraordinary tart lives on. Similar in many ways to a classic sweet and gooey Pecan Pie, this Six Nut Tart is made with a cornucopia of mixed nuts such as rich macadamias, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, sweet pine nuts and crunchy peanuts, although any combination of your favourite nuts will do. Made with a sweet, firm and buttery pâte sucrée, Six Nut Tart can also be prepared using short crust pastry for a flakier more crumbly pie. Sweet, crunchy and deliciously buttery, this effusively nutty tart is the perfect Thanksgiving treat, guaranteed to satisfy everyone's sweet tooth.




Six Nut Tart
Serves 8

Pâte Sucrée:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbsp sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup ice water

Nut filling:
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
3 tbsp dark corn syrup
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup halved pecans
1/4 cup unsalted peanuts
1/4 cup halved or broken walnuts
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup halved or broken hazelnuts
1/4 cup whole or halved macadamia nuts

To make the pâte sucrée tart shell, combine flour and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 to 20 seconds.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks then slowly add the ice water. With the machine running, add the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube. Pulse until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: if it's crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator, and chill at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place on a lightly floured piece work surface. Let it sit for about 3 to 4 minutes to take the chill off. Lightly dust the surface of the dough with flour and roll out to a round shape large enough to line a 9-inch tart pan, keeping the work surface and dough lightly floured as needed. Lift the dough and gently shape it to fit closely into all the contours of the pan. Prick the bottom of the tart dough several times with the tines of a fork. Bake for about 25 minutes or until light golden brown.

In large bowl, beat brown sugar and eggs at medium speed until well-mixed. Add all remaining filling ingredients except the nuts, and beat until combined. Place the baked tart shell pan on a baking sheet and sprinkle the nuts in an even layer in the bottom of the tart shell. Carefully pour the liquid evenly over the nuts. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the filling is golden brown. The filling will look puffy but will settle down quickly as it cools. Place on a wire rack and cool completely before serving.

Stuffed Roast Pork with Armagnac, Prunes & Apricots

Although turkey is the traditional star of Thanksgiving, a succulent Stuffed Roast Pork can also capture the spirit of the holidays. Dried prunes, apricots and cranberries simmered in Armagnac bring a fruity but not overly sweet intensity to the fragrant full-bodied sauce. The savoury mushroom and chestnut stuffing, which is sautéed with bacon, onions, celery, fresh baked breadcrumbs and mixed herbs is cooked with a little chicken stock so the mixture holds together when pressed between your fingertips, then chilled until it's stuffed, rolled and tied in a butterflied pork loin; or for a Thanksgiving dinner for two, a more modest sized butterflied pork tenderloin would be just as impressive. Roasted for about 60-90 minutes, the stuffing can be made ahead of time, which means that there's more time to spend taking care of last minute preparations such as making Cheddar Chive & Thyme Gougères appetizers or Wild Mushroom Soup with Sherry & Thyme to begin the meal, taking this delicious Thanksgiving menu from festive to fabulous.



Stuffed Roast Pork with Armagnac, Prunes & Apricots
Serves 6

3 lb boneless pork loin roast, butterflied
1 baguette, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 lb thick cut bacon, diced
3 large onions, finely diced
1 lb wild mushrooms, cleaned and diced
5 celery stalks, finely diced
1 1/2 pounds fresh chestnuts, roasted shelled, chopped (or jarred)
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
2 cups chicken stock, divided
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup Armagnac, Cognac or Port
1/3 cup dried prunes, pitted and chopped
1/3 cup dried apricots, pitted and chopped
1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
8 tbsp cold butter, cut into pieces
Sprigs of fresh thyme for garnish


Place the chopped dried prunes, apricots and cranberries in a small saucepan and simmer with 1/2 cup of Armagnac for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat and let sit covered for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread the cubes of baguette evenly on 2 large baking sheets. Bake until golden, flip occasionally. Transfer to large bowl.

To oven roast fresh chestnuts: cut an X on the flat side of each chestnut to prevent the nut from exploding. Place in a shallow baking pan and roast in the preheated 400°F oven for 25 minutes, tossing occasionally. Peel the chestnuts while they're still warm, because the shells become hard and brittle as they cool, making them very difficult to peel. Finely chop the chestnuts and set them aside in a small bowl. Conversely, you can use jarred whole chestnuts and simply chop them up!

In a large sauté pan, cook the diced bacon on medium high heat, stirring occasionally. When bacon starts to crisp and brown, reduce the heat slightly and remove the bacon from pan. Add the diced onions and cook stirring occasionally until tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add the mushrooms, stirring until they begin to soften and release their juices. Add the celery and stir for 2 minutes. Pour the contents of the sauté pan into the bowl with the bread, then mix in the chestnuts, thyme and nutmeg.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and add a little chicken stock if the mixture seems too dry. It should hold together when pressed between your fingertips. You may prepare this ahead of time and refrigerate until you're ready to roll into the roast, however let the mixture to cool before stuffing the pork roast.

To butterfly and stuff the pork loin: turn the pork loin fat-side down, and slice it lengthwise, almost but not quite all the way through, to form a long pocket leaving a 1/2-inch border of unslit meat at each end. Liberally season the interior of the butterflied pork with salt and pepper. Distribute the stuffing evenly, leaving a border on the left side to allow the roast to seal neatly. Roll the roast and then chill for 20 minutes before tying with twine. Season the exterior of roast with more salt and freshly ground black pepper and place in roasting pan, seam side down.

Roast at 400°F for 1 hour or until the internal temperature registers 150° in the centre of the roast. Remove from the oven onto a warm platter and allow to rest covered with foil for 20 minutes.

To make Armagnac and dried fruit sauce: place the roasting pan over medium heat until the browned pieces start to sizzle slightly, then deglaze with the Armagnac and reduce until the mixture resembles a thick syrup. Add the prunes, apricots, cranberries and chicken stock to the pan and reduce by half. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if needed. When the sauce has thickened somewhat, remove from the heat and add the cold cubes of butter, whisking constantly until the sauce is thick and glossy.

Remove the twine from roast and slice the pork roast into 1/2-inch slices and arrange decoratively on a warmed platter. Drizzle the Armagnac and dried fruit sauce over the slices and garnish with sprigs of fresh thyme. Serve the remaining sauce in a small bowl on the side for guests to help themselves.