The holiday season is upon us and we have the perfect recipes to wow your family and impress your guests. Try these new twists on classic holiday dishes!

Mulled Cider and Cranberry- Kick off the holiday with this cozy drink that has a hint of cinnamon and orange.

Spice Roasted Cauliflower with Jerusalem Artichokes – This fun side dish has great flavours and adds a slightly exotic twist to your standard holiday menu.

Pan Roasted Green Beans with Almonds – Fast and fresh, these crunchy beans with almonds are a great switch up from the go-to green bean casserole.

Swiss Chard Gratin – A deliciously sneaky way to add more good for you greens to your next holiday menu!

Roast Turkey Breast with Peppers – Beyond the regular bird, this moist turkey has great flavours and colour.

Dry Rubbed Bone in Rib Eye – Perfect for your meat loving guests, this one takes some time to prep but the pay off is mouth watering!

Cranberry Apple Cake – Warm and cozy this cake is the perfect way to finish off your holiday meal.

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Warning! For adults only, this recipe contains alcohol.

Your neighbor saw your 5,000-watt crèche with the Light–Up Holy Family and raised you Three Luminous–Halo’d Wise Men. You countered by adding the Animated Waving Santa and Nodding Reindeer to your roof; he got the Ho! Ho! Hover–Over–the–House Motion–Sensored Santa Sleigh Track. Before contemplating your next move, relax with a sparkling, ginger–infused refresher and review the inconvenient truth of your kilowatt hours.

• 1 1/2 ounces gin
• 1 1/2 ounces Ginger-Infused Simple Syrup (see below.)
• 1 1/2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
• 4 dashes orange bitters, such as Fee’s or Regan’s
• 4 ounces (1/2 cup) club soda
• Spiral of a lime peel

Pour the gin, syrup, and lime juice into a shaker filled with ice; add the bitters. Shake well (until condensation forms on the entire shaker). Strain the mixture over fresh ice into a tall glass, top with club soda, and garnish with a lime peel.

Serves 1

Ginger-Infused Simple Syrup
Makes approximately 1 3/4 cups

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 8 ounces (1 cup) water
• 3 3-inch pieces of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into ½–inch chunks (approximately ¾ cup)

Place the sugar, water, and ginger chunks in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool; strain into a glass jar with an airtight lid. The syrup will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Excerpted from Peterson’s Holiday Helper by Valerie Peterson Copyright © 2008 by Valerie Peterson. Excerpted by permission of Clarkson Potter. All rights reserved.

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Warm and bubbly with a golden brown crust, this easy-to-prepare side dish is one of my favorite cold-weather indulgences. I am a big fan of cauliflower’s soft, slightly nutty flavor and don’t think it gets the attention it deserves. It has a remarkable ability to absorb the flavors of whatever it is being cooked with, such as the rich creamy sauce of smooth Monterey Jack, salty Parmesan, and tangy goat cheeses in this gratin.

Serves 4 to 6
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
3 cups whole milk, or more if needed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated (1 1?2 cups)
6 ounces fresh goat cheese, cut into small pieces
1?2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into florets, each floret cut into 2 or 3 pieces
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

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Why do we only serve turkey on Thanksgiving? A whole turkey breast roasted with fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme is a great weeknight dinner and the leftovers make delicious sandwiches the next day. Roasting the turkey at 325 degrees and allowing it to rest for fifteen minutes ensures that it will be very moist.

Serves 6 to 8

1 whole bone-in turkey breast (6 1/2 to 7 pounds)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup dry white wine

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan, skin side up.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 1/4 hours
Makes: 8 to 10 servings

1 rutabaga (2 lb/1kg), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch (2 cm) cubes
4 parsnips (1 lb/500 g), peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
1 cup (250 ml) apple cider
1/4 cup (60 ml) butter, melted
4 tsp (20 ml) minced fresh thyme
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
1/2 tsp (2 ml) pepper
3 leeks (white and light green parts only), cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick rounds
2 sweet red peppers, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
1 large bulb fennel, trimmed and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
1 head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled

Toss together rutabaga, parsnips and half each of the cider, butter, thyme, salt and pepper. Spread in greased 13- x 9-inch (3 L) glass baking dish or small roasting pan. Cover with foil; roast in 425°F (220°C) oven for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss together leeks, red peppers, fennel, garlic and remaining cider, butter, thyme, salt and pepper. Spread in separate same-sized greased baking dish or roasting pan; cover with foil. Add to oven; roast for 30 minutes.

Uncover both pans; stir vegetables. Roast, stirring occasionally, until tender, golden and almost no juices remain, about 30 minutes.

Excerpted from Canadian Living: The Vegetarian Collection by Alison Kent and Canadian Living Test Kitchen. Copyright © 2011 by Alison Kent and Canadian Living Test Kitchen. Excerpted by permission of Transcontinental, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

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