From the gorgeous colours of the trees to all of the delicious Fall flavours, I really can’t get enough.

As usual October flew by BUT I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty excited that it did because I love the holiday season! So come on over for some Autumn recipe inspiration and a look at What’s In Season for November.

Throughout October in Calgary we enjoyed some seriously amazing Fall days (after a small snowfall blip). So I took the opportunity to take my dog Doug on some epic walks at a park near our house.

I also took a trip back to Ontario for some work and family time. I spent a couple days enjoying the lovely views of Lake Ontario and then a bit of time in Toronto.

My brother and I ate lunch at this really cool spot called Assembly Chef’s Hall which is a group of ‘chefs, restauranteurs and baristas…under one roof in Canada’s first chef-driven community market.’ There were SO many delicious options to choose from, it was really hard to pick! We decided on Love Chix for their Honey-Hot Fried Chicken Sandwich and Crispy Brussels Sprouts – OMG, it was amazing! I know I’ll be going back because there were so many other delicious food option to try too!

And when at home cooking this month, two cookbooks we’ve been enjoying are Healthyish and Chrissy Teigen’s new book, Cravings – Hungry for More. Both are filled with simple and flavourful dishes, especially easy to make during the week.

So, what to cook in November? Here are some favourite dishes AND cocktails:

Apples: Apple Sponge Cake

Cranberries: Festive Market Cheeseboard

Pears: Pear Cider Sangria

Pomegranate: Spiced Winter Punch

Sweet Potatoes: Savoury Turkey Breakfast Sausage Egg Muffins

Tomatoes: Pesto Baked Chicken

Along with these recipes I made a Turmeric Golden Mylk Granola in partnership with Botanica Health which is currently my Fall breakfast obsession.

I can’t wait to start sharing holiday-inspired dishes and cocktails with you coming up for the next two months.

If you have a favourite holiday dish or ingredient you’d love to see in a recipe, drop a comment below – I’d love to hear from you!

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post What’s in Season – Monthly Favourites appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.

I spent most of July on vacation, enjoying visits with family and friends and feasting on all of the amazing fruits and vegetables in season.

And, we’ve also been thoroughly enjoying sipping coffee on our back deck and reading on weekend mornings. So come on over for some travel adventures AND recipe ideas for what to cook in August!

We headed east to Toronto and area for visits with family and friends in mid-July and the weather was spectacular!

Scott and I went for a couple of lovely bike-rides along the Waterfront Trail along Lake Ontario.

We also spent a bunch of time around my parent’s backyard pool because you just can’t beat sunny, bluebird Ontario summer days. And, we always joke that it’s like being at an all-inclusive resort – there’s always snacks and drinks! (Thanks Mom & Dad for being the best hosts!)

Much of our vacation centred around enjoying the outdoors and food with family and friends. We even took a day-trip out to Prince Edward County for lunch at the Drake Devonshire which has the most lovely lake-view from their patio.

Then, we then toured around to a couple of wineries.  We stopped in at Rosehall Run which has one of my FAV sparkling wines, the Pixie, and checked out The Grange’s variety of wines plus their new cider and stunning views.

We stopped in at Hinterland which I had not been too before and absolutely LOVED their Les Etoiles Sparkling Wine.  The tasting room was beautiful and open-air concept which continued to a patio that looked out at the vineyard.

I find Prince Edward County so magical and serene; I love visiting when I’m back in Ontario when I can for the scenery, wine and the food. If you are ever in Ontario I highly recommend going!

Before we headed back to Calgary we spent a couple of days in Toronto. One morning we had croissants and these Italian ‘donuts’ called bomboloni which are one of the best bites of food I’ve ever had at Sud Forno. I will DEFINITELY be going back there again! And, we also made a lovely family dinner on the weekend featuring an epic rib-eye steak that was made for sharing.

It was truly a wonderful trip and when we got back to Calgary it was hard to get back into the swing of things! But one lovely surprise when we returned was our garden in full bloom, specifically the radishes! These French Breakfast Radishes are AMAZING.

I’ve been enjoying them on sourdough, making many lunches of my Toasts with Radishes, Pea Shoots & Feta recipe. They’re also delicious with just butter and a sprinkle of salt on toast too.

We’re definitely cooking seasonally lately, especially with all of the fresh produce we get weekly from our YYC Growers food share and from our garden. So, here are some of my favourite recipes that you can make in August:

Apricots: Easy Apricot Jam

Berries: Aloha Breakfast Bowl

Corn: Roasted Summer Vegetable Salad

Peaches: Peach & Prosciutto Summer Foccacia

Strawberries: Strawberry Lemonade Rosé Punch

Tomatoes: Heirloom Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Sourdough Bread Board

I can’t wait to make some of these recipes on repeat the next couple of weeks while all of the produce is in season! AND if you’re looking for a cool treat, I made three easy Fresh Fruit Popsicle recipes for the Italian Centre Shop here in Calgary including Strawberry-Basil and Peach & Mint flavours!

Until the next cooking adventure,
Jess

The post What’s in Season – Monthly Favourites appeared first on Cooking in my Genes.