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Yep, those words came from my person.. I stared at him blankly. Should I be offended, I thought? Not knowing how I should respond, I laughed awkwardly, kissed him goodnight and shut the door. After he left, I sat and pondered his words and realized that I didn’t want to tell people I was a blogger either. What in the actual fork am I doing starting a blog if I don’t want to tell people about it?! The truth is, I didn’t want to start a food blog. I hated food blogs. I hated scrolling through bloggers' life stories just to get to the recipe. Only to get to the recipe and find the recipe blocked by a pop up ad that I can’t find the X for!! HARD *eye roll* It wasn’t until my brand strategist, Jessica suggested starting a blog as a place for all my recipes to call home that was searchable, that I even considered it. If I was going to take this on I had to ensure that my blog wasn’t going to get lost among the tens of thousands of other food blogs on the world wide web, otherwise I wasn't doing it. There was a lot of back and forth about how to differentiate the FTW blog from the pack. The main points going completely against what all the other food blogs do, and well friends, that’s EXACTLY what I’m gonna do. I, Chef Jill promise you 5 things: To never make you search for the ‘skip to recipe’ button, because I ain't babbling on about the origin of harissa pasta because all you really care about is my delicious shakshuka recipe! My goal with the FTW blog is to bring out your inner chef & help to instil your kitchen confidence. SOME of my recipes will have ingredients listed without measurements. In these recipes I want you to use your own discretion. We all have different tastes & preferences and I want you to trust your judgement. Now don’t worry, these 'discretionary measurements' will never compromise the consistency or integrity of the dish, for those types of dishes I will always provide the correct measurements. The FTW blog will not have annoying pop up ads that will block the recipes. Does anyone actually click on those!? I will include measurements in the recipe instructions, so you don’t have to keep scrolling back up to the ingredient list every time the instructions say to add the next ingredient. I’ll always be authentic with my brand partnerships and only endorse products and/or services that I have tried & loved. I hope you know how much it means to me that you’ve welcomed me into your kitchen because it's definitely my favourite place to be. Thank you so much for joining me on this adventure & I can’t freaking wait to see you recreate my recipes! Now I think I’ve yammered on enough, let’s get cooking! Fare Thee Well, my friends!

A marriage of two of my favourite things.. BOWLS & BRUNCH! 🥰 Veggie packed latkes, soft boiled eggs, smoked salmon.. I mean what's not to love? This is the perfect recipe for your next girls brunch, the holidays or just a quite Sunday! The parsnip latkes recipe in this bowl is a twist on classic potato latkes and quite honestly I may never make potato latkes again! I'm obsessed with the flavour of these parsnip ones! Smoked Salmon Brunch Bowls with Parsnip Latkes Makes 2 bowls What you'll need: Parsnip Latkes 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 2 large eggs 2 tsp dijon mustard 1 lb parsnips, peeled & grated using a box grater 1 small onion, grated 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp seasoned bread crumbs (if using plain bread crumbs add 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp garlic powder to the mixture) Grapeseed oil, or other neutral oil for frying 2 large eggs Bowls Smoked salmon or lox Cucumber, sliced Picked Red Onion (or raw) Capers Sour cream Steps: In a large bowl whisk together 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, 2 large eggs & 2 tsp dijon mustard. Add 1 lb grated parsnips, 1 small grated onion & 2/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs to the bowl. Mix to combine. Set a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp grapeseed oil to the pan and heat for 1-2 minutes. Take 2 heaped tablespoons of the mixture in your hands and flatten into a patty. Fry each latke until golden brown and crisp. about 4-5 minutes on each side. If they are browning too quickly turn the heat down a bit. Transfer to a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towel to drain. While you are frying the latkes, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a gentle simmer & gently submerge 2 large eggs in the boiling water, cook for 6 minutes. Immediately remove the eggs from the pot and submerge them in ice water for 2 minutes. Remove from the water and gently peel off the shells. Assemble your bowls with parsnip latkes, halved soft boiled eggs, sliced cucumber, capers, picked red onion, smoked salmon & a dollop of sour cream. Brunch is life!

These festive pancakes will be a hit at your holiday brunch table! Hints of vanilla & orange will give you all the warm & fuzzy feels. Cranberry and orange are a match made in heaven! This recipe is the perfect balance between sweet & tart. I highly suggest making my Red or White Holiday Sangria to go along with these flapjacks! Pancakes with Cranberry Orange Compote What you'll need: Pancakes 2 cups AP flour 1/4 cup sugar 1 tbsp baking powder 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 1 3/4 cup milk 1 large egg 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1/4 cup butter, melted Cranberry-Orange Compote 2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen 2 oranges, zested & juiced 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup water Steps: In a medium saucepan over high heat combine 2 cups cranberries, the zest & juice of 2 oranges 1/2 cup sugar & 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until cranberries have broken down, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat & stir in orange zest. Mixture will thicken as it cools. In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups AP flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp salt. In a medium bowl whisk together 1 3/4 cup milk, 1 large egg, 1 tbsp vanilla extract & 1/4 cup melted butter. Create a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until almost smooth. You can still have some small lumps. Place a large skillet or griddle over medium-low heat, lightly grease with butter. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop batter and pour into the skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until there are lots of bubbles. Flip and cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve pancakes warm with warm compote on top & maple syrup! Fare Thee Well, my friends!

Chocolatey, perfectly chewy, yet crispy where it counts.. the perfect combination for the perfect cookie. Have I mentioned that these cooking are utterly perfect?! 😜 The key to these cookie's perfection is the addition of Parallel Brothers Chocolate Sesame Spread in the dough + in the centre. This spread is the balance between savoury & sweet that you didn't even know you needed, until you take the first bite. Next thing you know, you've eaten half the batch. This chocolate sesame spread is also AMAZING on toast, the perfect dip for pretzels or you can eat it like I do, with a spoon.. Refer to the Instagram reel below 😉 Parallel Brothers is a local Toronto company that sells exceptional sesame products + serves up delicious modern middle eastern cuisine in their on-site restaurant. Chocolate Tahini Pretzel Cookies What you'll need: 1 1/3 cup AP Flour 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 1/3 cup + 12 tsp (1/4 cup) Parallel Bros Chocolate Sesame Spread, divided 1/4 cup white sugar 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1 large egg 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips 24 mini pretzels or 12 large pretzels Flaky sea salt, optional Steps: Preheat oven to 350F In a medium bowl whisk together 1 1/3 cup AP flour, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp baking soda then set aside. In a large bowl cream together 1/2 cup soften butter, 1/3 cup chocolate sesame spread, 1/4 cup white sugar & 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer until fluffy about 2 minutes. Add 1 large egg & 1 tsp pure vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients you whisked together earlier and mix to combine scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Lately add 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips to the bowl and mix just to combine. Scoop dough into 12 equal balls onto parchment line baking sheets. You will want them to be at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading when they bake. Use a teaspoon to create a divot in the top of each dough ball. Spoon 1 tsp of the remaining Parallel Bros Chocolate Sesame Spread into each divot. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and immediately bang the edge of the tray on a flat surface, this will help to flatten the cookies a bit more. While the chocolate sesame spread is still warm, gently press 2 mini pretzels (or 1 large pretzel) into the top of each cookie. Finish with flaky sea salt, if desired. Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes on baking trays and then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely Enjoy!

Orzo is perfect for ONE-POT MEALs like this one because it cooks quickly and ain't nobody got time to be cleaning an extra pot to boil pasta, am I right?!.. I know I am ;) If you’re not familiar with orzo, it’s like if rice & pasta had a baby. I mean technically it’s pasta, but it looks like rice! Burrata is the Queen B of cheese as far as I’m concerned, and when you break it open over this warm pasta dish, drizzle it with olive oil & crack some pepper on it.. Ahhhh *chef kiss* Blistered Cherry Tomato Orzo with Burrata What you'll need: ¼ cup olive oil, divided 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 large shallot, minced 1 ½ tsp Italian seasoning 1 ⅓ cup orzo pasta ¼ cup white wine 1L vegetable or chicken stock ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces 1 ball fresh burrata Salt & pepper, to taste Steps: In a large skillet over medium heat add the olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add 1 pint of cherry tomatoes & a good pinch of salt. Cook until the tomatoes start to pop, about 4-5 minutes. Then 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 large minced shallot & 1 ½ tsp of Italian seasoning. Spoon the tomatoes out of the pan leaving as much of the herbs, garlic & shallots in the pan as possible. Add 1 1/3 cup of orzo to the skillet & toast for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add 1/3 cup of wine to the skillet & stir to combine. Let the wine cook down for 1-2 minutes. For this next step, you only want to add as much stock as you need to cook the orzo. This will vary depending on the brand of orzo. Add enough stock to just cover the orzo and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium low. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until orzo is al dente, stirring often. If the liquid absorbs before the orzo is cooked add more stock in small increments. When the orzo is cooked, return blistered tomatoes to the skillet along with ¼ cup of torn fresh basil leaves. Divide pasta into serving bowls. Tear burrata into pieces & divide among serving bowls. Garnish bowls with more fresh basil leaves if desired. Eat up, my friends!

Just when you thought crème brûlée couldn't get any better, I infuse it with President's Choice Chocolatey Chai Herbal Tea 😍. This decadent dessert is the perfect way to round out any special occasion meal. I'm obsessed with custard desserts, flan, pudding, mousse & most of all, crème brûlée. It's literally my freaking FAV! I know it's cliche but the snap from the caramelized sugar is definitely the best part! If you've got a blowtorch kicking around somewhere I highly suggest busting it out for this dish, it's definitely a pretty cool party trick. No torch? No problem! You can fire up the broiler to get that brûlée top no problem! Crème brûlée does take a bit of time to cook however it's pretty easy to throw together and the ingredients are pretty basic. So let's get into it! Chocolatey Chai Crème Brûlée What you'll need: 2 cups (473ml) heavy cream 3 bags President's Choice Chocolatey Chai Herbal Tea 1/4 tsp salt 5 egg yolks 1/3-1/2 cup white sugar (depending how sweet you like it) + more for topping 1 tsp President's Choice Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste Boiling water Steps: Preheat oven to 325F Combine 2 cups heavy cream & 1/4 tsp salt in a medium pot over medium heat. Heat just until starting to steam. Turn off the heat but leave it on the burner and submerge 3 bags of President's Choice Chocolatey Chai Herbal Tea into the hot cream. Cover and allow to steep for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together 5 egg yolks & 1/3-1/2 cups white sugar (dependant on your sweet tooth) in a large bowl until very pale. When the tea bags are done steeping gently squeeze the tea bags against the side of the pot using a spoon, this will infuse a little more flavour into the cream. Pour about 1/4 cup of the steeped cream into the egg mixture and whisk well. Whisk in 1 tsp President's Choice Madagascar Vanilla Bean Paste and the remaining steeped cream into the egg mixture. Pour the mixture evenly into 4 small oven-proof bowls or ramekins. Place the ramekins into a baking dish. Fill the baking dish with boiling water until it reaches half way up the ramekins. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the centres are barely set. Remove from the oven, take the ramekins out of the baking dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Torch method: Sprinkle 1 tsp of white sugar on top of the custard in an even layer. Light the blow torch and begin torching the sugar until it's caramelized and blackened in spots. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Broiler method: Preheat the broiler and place oven rack on the very top. Sprinkle 1 tsp white sugar on top of the custard in an even layer . Place ramekins on the top oven rack and broil for 2-5 minutes until the sugar is caramelized and blackened in spots. Carefully remove from oven & allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

These cookbooks are sure to excite the taste buds of the home cooks on your list this year! From the seasoned '5-star home cook' to the 'occasional cooker' I've got you covered with all my FAVS! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases such as the links below. The small commissions that I receive from these sales supports the maintenance of this blog & me as a creator, to continuing to provide you with all the delicious content! I appreciate your support ❤️. I'm here to help you make gift giving a little easier this season. If you're looking for something a little more specific, don't hesitate to shoot me a message in the recipe suggestion/question box on the side of this page! I got you boo! I dunno about you but I LOVE flipping through beautiful cookbooks to find meal inspo! Not to mention, on nights when I don't feel like creating a new dish I grab an ol' faithful cookbook & whip up a recipe that has been tested by someone other than me! haha My Top 5 Cookbook Picks by Avatar: For the 'The Home Sous Chef with Refined Taste' 'Ottolenghi Simple' by Yotam Ottolenghi This book is perfect for someone that knows their way around the kitchen, doesn't have hours to spend cooking but has a more refined pallet then most. Perhaps this person travels frequently and loves visiting the newest hot-spots for dining. My recipe picks from this one: Soba Noodles w Lime, Cardamom & Avocado, Pan-fried Salmon w Pine Nut Salsa, Braised Egg w Leek & Za'atar and Spinach & Gorgonzola Stuffed Jacket Potatoes. For the 'Meal Prepping Extraordinaire' 'Cook Once Dinner Fix' by Cassy Joy Garcia Cook Once Dinner Fix is perfect for the on-the-go type who loves a home cooked meal. Perhaps they have a busy family, participate in all the extracurricular activities or they work long hours & like to spend a bit of time in the kitchen on the weekends getting prepped for the long week ahead! The concept is simple: Cook 'Meal 1' (from the dinner series of your choosing) the book has instructions for how to transform the purposefully made "leftovers" into a completely different 'Meal 2'! Recipes are divided into: Poultry, Beef, Pork, Seafood & Vegetarian. Notable Dinner Series Favs: Blackened Shrimp Taco Bowls & Seafood Jambalaya, Loaded Avocado Bacon Burgers w Sweet Potato Fries & Chipolte Lime Mayo & Crispy Beef Hash w Tzatziki If you love this concept but want to prepare meals for the entire week, Cassy's other book Cook Once Eat All Week might be more up your alley! For the slightly more 'Adventurous Cook & Eaters' 'Eating Out Loud' by Eden Grinshpan Out of all the books on this list I would say this one is my 'most used'. This book is for the lover of middle eastern food with a flare. These recipes are playful, accessible & of course DELISH! Think: Sesame Challah Monkey Bread, Very Green Shakshuka, Sticky Lamb Tagine w Apricots, Fennel & Honey, Harissa Lemon, Whole-Roasted Branzino w Harissa, Garlic & Lemon and Salted Halva Chocolate Chip Cookies. For the 'Classic with a Twist, Cook' 'Well Seasoned' by Mary Berg Pickering, Ontario born 'Mary Berg' won MasterChef Canada in 2016. Her recently released cookbook is my newest fav! I love that the recipes are organized by season! Spring: Green Risotto, White Wine White Coq au Vin Summer: Grilled Summer Squash Pizza, Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake Fall: Baked Meatballs w Pesto & Ricotta, Curried Shrimp Orzo Winter: Everything Bagel Biscuits, Eggnog Basque Cheesecake For the 'Veggie Loving Host with the Most' 'The Long Table Cookbook' by Amy Symington Whether you are already a plant-forward eater or you are starting to dabble in the plant-based lifestyle this book will have you (& your loved ones) asking for seconds. The recipes in this book were created for communal dining and to support optimal health. Disclaimer: Amy, the author & chef behind this cookbook holds a special place in my heart. I consider her my mentor, friend & Supermom! My go-to recipes from this book: Waldorf Salad w Pomegranate & Pistachios, Turmeric Ginger Latte, Raspberry Key Lime Pie, Warm Farro Salad w Spicy Citrus Dressing, Pho Noodle Wrap, Creamy Dill & Cannellini Bean Dip and Lentil & Walnut Tacos w Mango Avocado Salsa I hope that you found this helpful! If any of these titles caught your eye, send this blog post to your loved ones to give them a hint! Happy gifting, my friends!

Have you ever met a single person that doesn't like brie? I know I haven't. This appetizer is sure to be a crowd pleaser on your holiday menu this season! Sit back and watch it get devoured. Make sure you get some before it's gone! This recipe is the perfect combo of savoury, sweet & creamy all wrapped into a buttery & flaky puff pastry. It's really everything you want from an appetizer. Cranberry Maple Bourbon Baked Brie What you'll need: 1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries 1/2 cup maple syrup 3 tbsp bourbon 1 fresh rosemary sprig 1/2 cup pecans 200g brie cheese wheel 10 x 10 puff pastry sheet (I used President's Choice Butter Puff Pastry) 1 egg, beaten Steps: Preheat the oven to 375F In a small pot combine 1 1/2 cup cranberries, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 3 tbsp bourbon and 1 sprig of fresh rosemary over medium high heat. Cook for 15-20 minutes until thick & jammy. Remove & discard the rosemary sprig. In a small dry frying pan toast 1/2 cup pecans over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Keep and eye on them so they don't burn! Immediately remove the pecans from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Roughly chop. Lay the sheet of puff pastry on a parchment lined baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, shave the top rind off the wheel of brie & discard the rind. Place the wheel of brie in the centre of the puff pastry, shaved top facing up. Spoon the cranberry sauce on top of the brie followed by the chopped pecans. Fold the corners of the puff pastry over the brie. Brush the top of the pastry with the beaten egg. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until nicely golden brown. Transfer baked brie to a serving patter, surrounded by sliced baguette, crostini and/or your favourite crackers & serve. More cheese please!

I am obsessed with everything sesame. If it says "sesame" I am down! It doesn't matter the application. We are talking anything from Asian or Middle Eastern cuisines to sesame crackers or a packet of sesame snaps. If you're new around here, it is going to come mighty apparent soon that I am a big 'noods' (noodle) fan. Just like sesame, I will eat noodles any way, shape or form! There is a difference between 'TOASTED sesame oil' & 'sesame oil'. So when you are purchasing, make sure you know what you need. Toasted sesame oil has a much stronger flavour & should be added as a finishing touch on a dish. You don't want to use 'toasted sesame oil' to cook with, that is where 'sesame oil' comes in. Spicy Sesame Lamb & Soba Noodle Bowls Serves 2 What you'll need: 1/2 lb ground lamb (ground beef, poultry or pork would be great too!) Spicy Sesame Sauce 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 1 tbsp honey Sriracha, to taste 2 tbsp rice vinegar 1/2 tsp chili flakes (or to taste) 1 tsp white sesame seeds 1 large garlic clove, grated 2 inch piece of ginger, grated Cucumber Salad 1 tsp white sugar 3 tbsp rice vinegar 1 tsp toasted sesame oil 1 tsp soy sauce Chili flakes, to taste 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 English cucumber, sliced into half moons Bowls Cooked soba noodles Carrot, julienne Edamame Sesame seeds, for garnish Fresh cilantro leaves, optional Sliced scallion, optional Steps: Cook soba noodles according to package directions. Brown 1/2 lb. of ground lamb in a frying pan over medium high heat, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Meanwhile mix together 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tbsp honey, sriracha, to taste, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp chili flakes, 1 tsp white sesame seeds, 1 large clove of grated garlic & a 2 inch piece of ginger, grated in a bowl. When the lamb is almost done pour in 1/4 cup of the sauce you just made. Allow to cook for an addition 3-4 minutes. When the noodles are cooked, drain and then toss with remaining spicy sesame sauce. For the cucumber salad whisk together 1 tsp white sugar, 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp soy sauce and chili flakes to taste in a bowl. Once combined, add 1/2 sliced English cucumber and 1/2 small sliced red onion, toss to coat in dressing. Now all you need to do is assemble your bowls! Enjoy, my friends!

In the cooler months I CRAVE potatoes. But you know me, I’m always looking for ways to JACK UP ingredients and make dishes extra special. Well friends, this warm potato salad is extra special. The flavour combination of the roasted tomatoes & potatoes + the dressing will make this dish the most exciting thing on the table at your next meal. TRUST ME. Serve it alongside some oven roasted salmon, a cast-iron seared steak & you’ve got yourself a complete meal. The key to this recipe is to add the dressing to the potatoes & tomatoes while they are still warm. This will allow the dressing to absorb and make this dish flavourful AF. Warm Roasted Baby Potato & Arugula Salad What you'll need: 1.5 lbs fingerling or baby yukon gold potatoes, halved (if using fingerling potatoes half them lengthwise) 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp kosher salt 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced ¼ cup chopped parsley leaves & tender stems 1 red bell pepper, large dice ⅓ cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced Couple handfuls of arugula Dressing ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp dijon mustard 1 clove garlic, grated 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup ¼ tsp turmeric ½ tsp kosher salt ½ tsp black pepper Steps: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Put 1.5 lbs baby potatoes & 1 pint of cherry tomatoes on separate baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Toss each tray with 1 ½ tbsp olive oil & ½ tsp of salt. Transfer both trays to the oven, roast the tomatoes for 20 minutes, until blistered. Roast potatoes for 30-35 minutes until nicely golden. While tomatoes & potatoes are roasting, make the dressing by whisking together all ingredients in the bottom of a large mixing bowl (1/4 cup EVOO, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp dijon mustard, 1 clove grated garlic, 1 tbsp honey, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper). Add 1 bunch of sliced green onions, 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 1 diced red pepper & 1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives to the bowl with the dressing When the potatoes & tomatoes are finished roasting, add them to the bowl with the dressing & other salad ingredients. Mix well and let sit for a few minutes to allow the flavours to meld together & potatoes to cool down. Toss in the arugula just before serving! Fare Thee Well, my friends!

Shakshuka is the QUEEN of brunch. That’s right, I said it. #SorryNotSorry Trust me I LOVE me some eggs benny, but shakshuka is the perfect threesome between perfectly poached eggs, rich middle eastern spiced tomato sauce & herby freshness. And of course, this recipe takes it up a notch (or 3) with a super simple yet DELISH tofu feta. I know what some of you are thinking.. TOFU!? 🙄. Listen tofu haters, this recipe has fooled many cheese lovers and some have even said they like it BETTER than regular tofu. Plus tofu is an amazing source of plant based protein! So give it a go & if ya hate it, DM me and we can fight about it 😜 Let’s do this! & pour yourself a mimosa while you’re at it! 🥂 Shakshuka with Tofu Feta What you'll need: Olive oil 1 small onion, minced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 red bell pepper, small dice 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp curry powder (or garam masala) ½ tsp turmeric powder 1 tbsp harissa paste (optional, but amazing) 1 28 oz can crushed fire roasted tomatoes (regular crushed tomatoes will work too) Eggs Handful fresh herbs (dill, cilantro, parsley or combo!) Tofu Feta (adapted from ‘The Long Table Cookbook’) 1 block extra-firm tofu, cut into small cubes or crumbled 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 cloves garlic, grated ¼ cup apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp kosher or sea salt Steps: In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add minced onion, diced bell pepper & season well with salt. Cook until onions are beginning to caramelize, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp curry paste, ½ tsp turmeric & 1 tbsp harissa paste. Once fragrant, stir in 1 can crushed tomatoes. Season with salt & pepper. Turn heat down to low & simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make tofu feta. In a medium bowl whisk together 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 grated garlic cloves, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil & 1 tsp salt. Add tofu and toss to coat. Set aside. After 20 minutes, uncover the tomato sauce and raise the heat to medium & simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes. Use a spoon to make wells for your eggs. Crack an egg into each well, cover the pan with lid & cook until whites are just set, 3-5 mins depending on how you like your yolks. Remove pan from heat & nestle feta into the sauce. Garnish with fresh herbs & drizzle with additional olive oil if desired. Serve with warm pita or toasted bread. Fare Thee Well, my friends!

Friends, baking really isn’t my thing. So I can assure you that when I put out a baking recipe it will be DAMN GOOD. Sometimes I just don’t want to scoop cookie dough and that is when I make a skillet cookie. I love the flavour and texture of toasted coconut in cookies & then throw some chocolate in there, I mean.. What's not to love?! Serve this skillet cookie in the centre of the kitchen table, hand your family some spoons and get into it!!! Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie What you'll need: Serves 4-6 Ingredients ½ cup unsweetened coconut (flaked or shredded) ½ cup unsalted butter, softened ½ cup white sugar ½ cup packed brown sugar 1 large egg, room temperature 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp kosher salt ½ cup chocolate chips Vanilla ice cream (optional) Steps: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F In a dry 10 inch cast iron or other ovenproof skillet, toast 1/2 cup coconut over medium-low heat until golden brown. Keep an eye on it, it will burn quickly! Once golden, immediately transfer to a plate & set aside. Wipe the skillet clean with a dry cloth to remove any coconut crumbs. Grease the same skillet with cooking spray or a little butter. Set aside. In a medium bowl mix together 1 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda & 1/2 salt. Set aside. In a large bowl using a hand mixer (or a stand mixer) cream together 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup white sugar & 1/2 cup brown sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the egg & 1 tsp of vanilla & mix until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again & add the dry ingredients. Mix on low until incorporated. Fold in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips & the 1/2 cup coconut you toasted earlier. Transfer cookie dough into the greased skillet. Press down evenly with fingers. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Or until the edges are golden brown and the top is starting to crack. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream! Happy eating!