3 Ways To Bring Harvest Flavours Into Your Kitchen

‘Tis the season—harvest season, that is! It’s almost fall, when delicious hearty foods are embraced with open arms and the yearly obsession with pumpkin spice returns. To channel our excitement for this time of year, we’ve crafted a list of our favourite comforting foods from Mazola and Bake Good. —Vita Daily

Plum & Ginger Glazed Chicken

For a main course at your next dinner party, try this Plum and Ginger Glazed Chicken recipe from Mazola. A delightful fusion of two unexpected flavours, it’s perfectly paired with rice and seasonal vegetables. As the perfect accompaniment to your meal, consider these Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls from BakeGood.ca. They’re a yummy, seasonal twist on a dinner classic! 

For the sauce:

• 1/3 cup bottled plum sauce
• 1/4 cup Beehive® OR Crown® Golden Syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

For the Chicken:

• 12-ounce ( 375 g) boneless chicken breast or tenderloin, cut in 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick strips
• 2 tablespoon Fleischmann’s® Corn Starch
• 2 packets instant chicken bouillon
• 2 tablespoons Mazola® Canola Oil
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger root OR 2 teaspoons (10 mL) powdered ginger
• 3 cups snow peas, halved lengthwise
• 1 (10-ounce/284 mL) can sliced water chestnuts or oriental stir fry vegetables, drained

Directions for the sauce:

1. Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Directions for Chicken:

1. Mix corn starch and instant bouillon in a small bag; add chicken and shake to coat well.
2. Heat a large skillet or wok until hot; swirl oil around in the pan. Gently stir fry the chicken strips until lightly browned and no longer pink inside.
3. Add ginger and snow peas; stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until colour brightens. Add canned vegetables and sauce mixture, stirring constantly until ingredients are glazed.
4. Serve with cooked rice.

Sweet Potato Dinner Rolls

For the dough:

• 1 cup apple juice
• 1 (2-1/4 tsp.) envelope Fleischmann’s® Traditional Yeast
• 3-1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter OR margarine, melted
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato

Directions:

1. Heat apple juice until warm (100° to 110°F). Add yeast and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
2. Combine 3 cups flour, sugar and salt in a large mixer bowl. Add butter, egg, potatoes and yeast mixture. Beat for 2 minutes. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
3. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 6 to 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Shape dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl, turning once to cover. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. Punch dough down. Divide dough into 12 equal portions and form into rolls. Place in a greased 13 x 9-inch pan. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven until well browned. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Donuts

Of course, no harvest season meal would be complete without some fan-favourite, Pumpkin Pie Spiced Donuts for dessert thanks to this recipe courtesy of Bake Good. They’re warm and soft inside, and just oh-so delicious!

For the dough:

• 5-1/4 to 5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 (2-1/4 tsp.) envelope Fleischmann’s® Quick Rise Yeast
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated orange peel
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 2 eggs
• As needed, Mazola® Vegetable Oil

For the powdered sugar glaze:

• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 3 to 4 tablespoons milk

For the sugar topping:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions for the dough:

1. Combine 1-3/4 cups flour, sugars, undissolved yeast, orange peel, salt, and pumpkin pie spice in a large mixer bowl. Heat milk, water, and butter until very warm (120 to 130 F). Gradually add to the flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover; let rest for 10 minutes.
2. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness; cut with a 2-1/2-inch doughnut cutter. Knead together trimmings; let rest 5 minutes, reroll and cut. Place doughnuts on greased baking sheets. Cover; let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
3. Deep fry at 375 F for 2 minutes or until browned, turning once. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil. Sprinkle with Sugar Topping or drizzle with Powdered Sugar Glaze

Directions for the powdered sugar glaze:

1.  Combine powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice and milk in a bowl; stir until smooth.

Directions for the cinnamon sugar topping:

1. Stir sugar and pumpkin pie spice together in a small bowl. Sift mixture over warm doughnuts.