Maureen Simon Foods Shares Two Caribbean-Inspired Thanksgiving Sides
Thanksgiving sides tend to do the same jobs every year: rich, soft and familiar. Maureen Simon Foods has two recipes that keep that comfort intact while steering the flavour toward Caribbean pantry staples. One folds the Canadian company’s curry sauce into baked mac and cheese; the other uses jerk sauce to sharpen an herb-packed stuffing with dried cranberries.
Both dishes use everyday grocery ingredients plus a bottled sauce, and both bake at 190 C (375 F). That shared oven temperature makes them easier to coordinate when the rest of the holiday menu is already competing for space.
Two sides built for the holiday table
The curry mac and cheese leans into the baked, set texture of Caribbean macaroni pie, with sharp cheddar and a curry-laced sauce. The stuffing takes a more savoury route: rosemary, thyme, onion, celery and garlic carry the familiar holiday profile, while jerk sauce and dried cranberries add heat, fruit and contrast.
For more ideas from the same brand, see Hungry 416’s earlier collection of Maureen Simon Foods summer recipes.
Curry Mac and Cheese
Serves 6 | About 45 minutes | Baked, Caribbean macaroni-pie style
This version starts with a classic butter-and-flour sauce, then adds Maureen’s Caribbean Curry Sauce before the cheddar goes in. The result is creamy when hot, with the option of adding an egg for a firmer, sliceable set.
Ingredients
- 400 g elbow macaroni
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 2 1/2 cups milk, warmed
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) Maureen’s Caribbean Curry Sauce
- 3 cups grated sharp cheddar, divided
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp mustard powder (optional)
Method
- Heat oven to 190 C (375 F). Cook macaroni until just shy of al dente, then drain.
- Melt butter, whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in warm milk until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Off the heat, stir in curry sauce, 2 cups cheddar, salt, pepper and mustard powder until melted.
- Fold in the macaroni. Transfer to a baking dish and top with remaining cheddar.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling and golden.
For a firmer, sliceable macaroni-pie set, whisk 1 egg into the cooled sauce before baking.
Jerk Stuffing
Serves 8 | About 55 minutes | Herb stuffing with jerk sauce and cranberries
The jerk stuffing keeps the familiar base of bread, butter, herbs and stock. Maureen’s Jerk Sauce goes in with the cranberries, giving the finished dish a savoury heat that cuts through richer items on the plate.
Ingredients
- 1 loaf day-old bread, cubed (about 10 cups)
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup Maureen’s Jerk Sauce
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 2 to 2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 egg, beaten
- Salt and black pepper
Method
- Heat oven to 190 C (375 F). If the bread isn’t stale, dry the cubes on a tray for 10 minutes.
- Melt the butter with the rosemary and thyme, letting the herbs infuse for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Soften the onion, celery and garlic in the herb butter.
- Stir in the jerk sauce and cranberries.
- In a large bowl, combine the bread with the vegetable mixture, adding stock a little at a time until moist but not soggy. Fold in the beaten egg.
- Transfer to a buttered dish. Cover and bake for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes more, until the top is crisp.
The jerk sauce balances the richer components on a Thanksgiving plate; taste the mixture before baking and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Timing both dishes in one oven
If both sides are going on the table together, start the stuffing first. Add the mac and cheese after the stuffing has baked, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover the stuffing at the 25-minute mark; the two dishes should then finish within roughly the same window. Keep each in its own baking dish so the stuffing can crisp and the cheese can brown.
Where to find the sauces and more recipes
Maureen Simon Foods lists both its recipe collection and current shop selection online. Product availability varies by retailer and location, so check the brand’s current listings before shopping.
Connect with Maureen Simon Foods
Website: Maureen Simon Foods
Instagram: @maureensimonfoods
Facebook: Maureen Simon Foods
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