Main Courses

Eggs are one of the most versatile ingredients in your kitchen. It lets you get food to your family in a hurry without sacrificing flavour. With carbonara, you harness the power of the egg yolk for a quick pasta fix. You can have this dish ready in the time it takes to boil water and cook pasta. The heat from the freshly cooked pasta will thicken the egg yolk in the sauce at the last moment. You'll be amazed at how something to simple and so speedy can be so tasty.

There are as many ways to roast a chicken as there are cooks. This basic method is my favourite. Roasting the chicken perched on top of a thick bed of vegetables not only helps you prepare an entire meal at once but also guarantees that not a drop of flavour is lost. You can also skip all the normal laborious of slicing by simply shredding the meat into the works and tossing together a pan stew of sorts!

Anytime I fire up my grill for supper I always look for a veggie to add to the works because grilling is not just for meat. Firm, juicy zucchini is an ideal candidate. This simple dish also shows how easily you can adapt the classic flavours of salsa to just about any fruit. Try it; you just might discover that you prefer peaches to tomatoes in your salsa!

Mussels are the world’s easiest seafood to cook, especially with a tasty beer. All you have to do is toss ‘em in a pot with the liquid of your choice and they’ll steam right open. If that liquid happens to be Upstreet’s Commons Pilsner you can count on a delicious broth perfect for soaking up and sharing with friends. A bit of crispy bacon doesn’t hurt either but remember to save a few cold ones for sharing!

Around here we tend to take our lobster pretty seriously. Nothing beats the flavour like a lobster pulled from the sea then cooked in the sea. But if you don't live by the sea, how do you make the sea? Too easy. Just remember for every gallon of water add 1/2 cup of salt.

This recipe is a quick and delicious way to celebrate a few of Canada's iconic ingredients. A quick glaze of maple syrup and mustard brings the sweet and savoury, and the oats creates a hearty and whole crust. Serve it alongside other Canadian favourites, like Prince Edward Island potatoes!

A pulled pork sandwich is a thing of beauty. Tender meat glistening with spicy, smoky flavour piled high on a soft bun with no adornment save for some tangy, crunchy 'slaw. The time-honoured method for making succulent pulled pork requires a smoke pit, a whole hog, and pulling an all nighter.

Luckily there's a much easier way that's just as tasty. This recipe harnesses the power of slow cooker braising to duplicate the BBQ flavours. This much simpler process skips the time and labour intensive process of grilling and smoking, which leaves more time for pulling and sandwiching. There won't be any smoke of course, but with these flavours no one will even notice.

A rack of lamb is a great special occasion dinner. Too bad each chop only gets a thin crust of aromatic topping. To maximize the flavour potential, use individual lamb chops that can each be thickly encased with a crust. Mint and lamb are one of the great classic flavour combinations, and the edamame provides vibrant colour and protective moisture for the delicate mint while in the oven.

Mac and cheese is delicious just the way it is, but why not amp it up with some Italian flavours? A creamy sauce is built with easy-melting Fontina and flavour-packed Grana Padano cheeses. Spicy Italian sausage, bright tomatoes and classic herbs will have your family proclaiming "mi amore!".

This ain't your typical tuna salad! A rosy tuna steak is quickly seared in a hot pan and thinly sliced before being put on display over a hearty potato and green bean salad.

This traditional tapas bar snack is sometimes served between two slices of rustic crusty bread. It’s just as delicious served plain. Either way, the bright pickled tomatoes steal the show. This is the sort of dish you’ll quickly come to crave.

Looking for more simple and delicious recipes to make for breakfast, school lunches, and weekday dinners when you are short on time? Check out my latest cookbook, Family Meals, for 99 more recipes that will help make mealtime fun and get your family involved in the kitchen.

Since salmon is a fatty fish, it’s often cooked quickly with high, searing heat that gives it a crispy crust. But salmon is just as delicious when it’s cooked slowly. Gentle, patient heating gives it a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that is truly memorable - especially when it’s brightened with a simple honey mustard glaze.