• averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

  I bought this book when it came out in 2008 and so many recipes have made appearances at weeknight dinners just for us and for guests at dinner parties. Bonnie Stern is well known in Canadian food circles as a cookbook author, TV personality and cooking school owner/instructor. All of her accolades are well deserved!

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Short ribs with red wine and Port

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    This was my first attempt at short ribs (maybe 13 years ago?)....I had never even seen one before. They were delicious and started me on my way to making so many different versions over the years but this red wine & port version is still a favourite. I am just disappointed that I can not get demi glace where I live and so have to leave out this optional ingredient.

• Smashed red-skinned potatoes

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    With lots of roasted garlic smashed in, these potatoes are delicious.

• Grilled chicken skewers with rosemary and garlic

  • averythingcooks on May 23, 2023

    The recipe calls for breast or thighs and so I used 6 boneless skinless thighs with 1/2 the marinade. This is one of 3 "skewer" recipes in the book where she cooks the chicken 1st and then puts it on the skewers for presentation...as it was just for us, I skipped the skewering. The marinade adds lots of flavour (garlic, lemon & rosemary are a classic for a reason) and we ate this sliced over a roasted veg & farro salad. I will absolutely make this chicken again.

• Rustic apple tart

  • averythingcooks on December 26, 2023

    This is a lovely apple...tart? crostata? open faced pie? that I served to very happy Christmas guests. I did need a little extra ice water for the dough, but it rolled out beautifully after chilling, folded up over the generous heap of apples without cracking and held together during the bake. I was worried about some spill over of juices onto my oven floor but I will use a rimmed sheet pan next time. We agree that this has overtaken the Barefoot Contessa as the house favourite apple crostata.

• Sparkling pomegranate sangria

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    With just pomegranate seeds, this is not the expected version of sangria but it does make a lovely drink for a holiday party. I mostly use regular shiraz & sparkling water as I can't always get "sparkling Shiraz" locally.

• Rib roast with garlic mustard rub

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    This is a lovely rub for a prime rib roast - you can't lose with garlic, Dijon and rosemary. Starting at a high heat for a short time at the start followed by a lower heat, longer roast results in a nice crust and perfectly cooked rare / medium rare meat. A prime rib roast intimidated me until I tried it a few times.....a meat thermometer is a must for this pricey piece of meat!

• Ruthie's apple cake

  • ellwell on September 28, 2022

    This was a decent apple cake. It was a little dry. Not sure if i overcooked it but it was better the second day. I would probably try a different recipe next time.

• Ginger crackle cookies

  • averythingcooks on January 23, 2023

    This recipe uses vegetable oil in place of butter. I read a little bit 1st and most sources said it works fine but you will lose the "buttery" flavour. In a molasses cookie flavoured with cinnamon & ginger (ground + I added crystalized), I didn't think that mattered...and it didn't - these are very good cookies! She calls for either all-purpose OR whole wheat flour so I used a 50:50 mix. My only issue what that it was hard to get the coarse (demerara) sugar to actually stick to the cookie balls.

• Kebabs on cinnamon sticks

  • ellwell on September 30, 2022

    These were good but I felt they lacked something—so I brushed them with pomegranate molasses and sprinkled them with mint. Everyone liked them and asked for the recipe. The novelty of the cinnamon stick was fun and made a great “grab-able” appetizer.

• Couscous with preserved lemon, dates and almonds

  • Frogcake on August 21, 2022

    An easy tasty recipe. Left overs make a great take away lunch. This is rotation in m6 house.

• Apple cranberry sangria

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    This was a rare miss for us.....too much apple juice I think.

• Roasted carrots

  • averythingcooks on November 29, 2023

    With the honey and fresh thyme, these were lovely. I did have to roast them at 425 (instead of 400) because of the main dish but they were perfect after 20'ish minutes. Also, when I looked at the pan with 1 lb carrots (1/4 recipe to serve 2) I removed some before glazing thinking there was no way we would eat them all...I was wrong, we absolutely would have :)

• Friday night brisket

  • Frogcake on August 21, 2022

    This is one of my favourite brisket recipes. Delicious!

• Roasted broccoli

  • averythingcooks on January 05, 2025

    Temperature/timing worked well for the broccoli but I added the garlic at around 1/2 way as I'm aways leery of it burning.

• Melting cheese and corn quesadillas

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    These make a great little game snack - be sure to grill the corn. As soap tasters, we leave out the cilantro (but parsley is also good). I've also bulked them up by adding shredded chicken to the filling.

• New wave Caesar salad

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    This is our favourite dressing for a Caesar salad. I'm sure calls of "not authentic" would go out re: the lack of anchovy, but we love this version with its big hit of garlic & lemon and a hint of sweet from the brown sugar. I usually whisk grated parmesan into the dressing and then add some to the salad as well. I don't always make the actual salad exactly as written here (I think I used pecans once and we decided not to waste pricey nuts here).

• Spaghetti with roasted cherry tomato sauce

  • averythingcooks on August 14, 2022

    Just a really nice use for little tomatoes (this time a mix of cherry & grape tomatoes) plus basil.... all fresh from the garden.

• Iceberg lettuce wedges with Thousand Island dressing

  • averythingcooks on April 14, 2022

    This made a really tasty version of 1000 Island used last night on a mix of crisp lettuces. I used the plain white vinegar, relish, chili sauce & a sweet smoked paprika. The final instruction is to taste & adjust and I did add a bit more of both the sugar & vinegar to better match our palates.

• Carrot tube cake

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    This made an appearance as dessert at a casual Easter dinner and it was a huge hit. Mine was baked at just under an hour (she suggests 1 - 1/14 hours so watch the time, checking early. I made her "best ever cream cheese frosting" and it was delicious.

• Best ever cream cheese icing

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    Delicious on her carrot cake!

• Hanger steak with Worcestershire marinade

  • averythingcooks on June 07, 2024

    There is really good flavour imparted by this marinade with only a few ingredients but I did think a hit of acid (ie red wine vinegar) would have a good addition. I made 1/3 of the marinade for a 14 oz piece of steak which was plenty.

• Roasted baby potatoes with shallots and mustard

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    This resulted in a great side for steaks. My habit is to parboil the potatoes (8-10 min) before tossing in the flavourings and putting in the oven (too many pans of potatoes with burnt garlic & onion I guess). With grainy mustard, shallots, garlic & rosemary, it’s not a surprise how good these are.

• Tamarind and coconut-glazed chicken thighs

  • kingnotkane on February 02, 2026

    Our favorite grilled chicken thigh recipe, I usually cut the cayenne in half. The thighs keep well and are delicious as leftovers on just about anything.

• Caramelized onion mini quiches

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    These were a tasty little pre-dinner snack for guests. Her dough was easy to handle (but I might consider prebaked tart shells if time is tight). I did cook the onions for far longer than the time given and I also had extra custard left by the time I used all the onions. I made 1/2 with Cambozola and 1/2 with Gruyere and we liked both versions.

• Roasted cauliflower with tahina

  • CordovaBayCook on January 28, 2023

    This tahini sauce is delicious!

• Chocolatiest chocolate chip cookies

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    I made the larger version of these (using dough balls of around 60 g) and they are delicious. They were baked for 15 minutes or so and have the crispy edges that we love in a chocolate chip cookie. I'm not sure they are the "chocolatiest" we have ever had but that suits us fine - they have the classic flavour and texture that I love.

• Chuck's chocolate brownies

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    This is my gold standard brownie recipe....I don't actually eat / like brownies (what??) but these are hugely popular amongst family & friends. I have made them using the full amount of toasted pecans and a 50:50 mix of pecans and chocolate chips - both work. This recipe beats out even the immensely popular Barefoot Contessa version.

• Chocolate sauce

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    This was great as part of a "brownie chunks + vanilla ice cream served in a martini glass" dessert. I used the milk (in place of water) and added the optional butter. Now add in both semi sweet chocolate & cocoa and this is beautifully rich and decadent.

• Marinated goat cheese

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    This is a great addition to a platter of pre-dinner snacks. Easy to throw together with fresh herbs, it disappeared quickly with a selection of good crackers.

• Grilled garlic bread

  • jimandtammyfaye on April 19, 2022

    Very simple but nonetheless delicious. Instead of mixing salt into oil mixture, I prefer sprinkling to taste on individual slices.

• Roasted sweet potatoes with sweet chili sauce and lime

  • averythingcooks on April 08, 2022

    The drizzle for this starts with Thai sweet chili sauce and then continues to dress it up with more big flavours. I did parboil my potatoes to start (worried they wouldn't fully cook in the time given) and then (of course) took them out of the oven earlier than the time given. The sauce then gets spooned the hot potatoes and they can be served hot, warm or at room temp which makes them easy to time as part of a big dinner.

• Warm roasted potato salad

  • averythingcooks on April 14, 2022

    This is a great little entertaining side because you toss the potatoes with the vinaigrette hot out of the oven and then they can wait to be served.....warm or even room temperature is good. I sub in white wine vinegar if I don't have sherry vinegar on hand and I don't usually use the bed of arugula to serve. This one has been made countless times.

• Mexican grilled corn salad

  • averythingcooks on April 14, 2022

    This is a good version of this dish made with parmesan. I do always think this kind of salad benefits from some grilled (or sautéed) diced red onion & red pepper and some ancho or chipotle chile powder. A great side for any grilled meat,

• Tomato and avocado salad

  • averythingcooks on April 14, 2022

    I come here for the lime & cumin dressing to dress green salads being served with any kind of Mexican or Tex Mex style of meal. I've used both types of cumin (whole toasted lightly crushed seeds and ground) and I actually like the ground version better.

• Aunt Reba's oatmeal cookies

  • averythingcooks on November 02, 2022

    As promised, these are very good cookies. The almond extract is a nice addition and I was ultimately happy that I had to toast a mix of pecans & walnuts to get the full amount of nuts. I made 23 g cookies for a yield of 38. In my oven (grrr), 8 1/2 minutes was perfect for the "crispy edges but still still chewy"/ texture I was after. These will be made again.