What is Mujadara? A dish of lentils and rice garnished with onions. Take the time to transform the humble onion into a crowning glory on this lentil-rice dish.   Delicious even just with rice, but the super combo of lentils & rice give us a complete protein.   Warm spices with the rice are highly addictive.   Give it the gourmet feel with a drizzle of good quality tahini blended with a little warm water and crushed garlic, or a good scoop of plain yogurt.   

Ingredients for Mujadara

1 cup green or brown lentils, cooked until al dente, or 1 can of lentils 
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 tbsp flour
oil for frying

1 tsp. each cumin seeds and coriander seeds
¾ cup basmati rice (we love this Tilda brand) 
½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Yogurt for drizzling (or Tahini Sauce), optional 

 How to make Mujadara

1. In a large frying pan with a lid, heat enough olive to cover the bottom of the pan
2. Toss onions with flour and then fry in the oil, in batches, until golden brown and crisp;  remove to a paper-towel lined plate and lightly salt.  
3. In the same pan, add cumin and coriander seeds; fry briefly before adding basmati rice, turmeric, allspice and cinnamon.  Fry for one minute and then add 1 ¼ cup water.  Stir in lentils. 
4. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a simmer, cover, and turn heat to lowest setting
5. Cook 15 minutes, then turn heat off and allow to sit for five minutes.  Serve with onions on top, garnished with yogurt or tahini!  

 Looking for more Middle Eastern Influence?  Click HERE for our Shawarma At Home class!  

This African-Spiced bean dish is extremely tasty, filling, nutritious and surprisingly easy to bring together with items you may already have in your pantry!   Black-eyed peas have a mild, nutty flavor and are amongst the creamiest of beans when cooked, making them one of our favourite cans of beans in the pantry!   They absorb the flavors of the surrounding ingredients, making them a versatile and delicious base for stews.   

 If you don't have black-eye peas, the next in line would be white kidney beans or pinto beans. Serve these beans with white or basmati rice for comfort food at it's finest!  And with the anti-inflammatory properties that come with the turmeric-black pepper combo, this is feel-good food too.   Ladle up bowls on top of basmati rice, and garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lemon or lime if you have it!   

Crispy Turkey Schnitzel with Parsley Lemon Sauce

This turkey schnitzel is so juicy and delicious!  Perfect for a smaller gathering, or even a quick weeknight supper!  We've paired it with a quick creamy sauce with capers, a red cabbage salad and buttered egg noodles for a perfect German-inspired supper!  

4 x 6 oz cutlets of turkey breast
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, as needed
1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
canola oil, as needed 

Sauce: 

Zest & Juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp. Capers with a little brine
2 heaping tbsp. Mayonnaise
4-5 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Pinch of salt 

1. Place turkey on cutting board, and top with a zip-top back or plastic wrap
2. Using a meat pounder or other heavy object, pound turkey to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness.
3. Season both sides with salt.
4. Place flour, eggs and crumbs each in their own shallow bowl; season, flour, eggs and crumbs with salt and pepper.  
5. Using one hand, dredge the turkey into flour. Using that same hand, place it into egg mixture; using the other hand, take from egg and place into crumbs. Use your ‘flour’ hand again in the crumb mixture to adhere crumbs to turkey. Repeat until all turkey is breaded.
6. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat for a minute or two; add a moderate amount of neutral oil oil and then carefully add the turkey, not crowding the pan
7. Cook for about 3-4 minutes before turning over and cooking for a further 2-3 minutes, lowering the heat if the pan begins to smoke.  
8. Remove and place on a paper towel lined plate, sprinkle immediately with salt and serve with Parsley Lemon Sauce 

Perfect for the holiday season when you need something fresh & speedy!  This cooking technique for butternut squash is revolutionary: crispy and delicious and cooked in minutes.  All you need is a vegetable peeler!  

Serves 4

1/2 butternut squash (approx.) 
4 packed handfuls of soft mixed greens (1 300g box) 
1 honeycrisp apple, diced OR 1 cup pomegranate seeds 
3 oz. feta cheese or goats cheese 
1/4 cup chopped pecans 
Olive Oil & Salt, as needed 

Vinaigrette: 
1 tbsp. maple syrup 
pinch each of allspice, cloves & cinnamon (optional)
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard 
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar 
6 tbsp. olive oil 

1. Make vinaigrette (up to 3 days ahead of time): whisk together well the maple syrup, spices (if using), Dijon mustard, vinegar and a pinch of salt. 
2. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Store in a jar and give it a good shake before using.  
3. For the squash: preheat a large frying pan over medium heat.  
4. Peel the entire outside of the squash, ideally with a "Y" peeler.  Continue to peel in sections of the 'neck' of the squash to make 'squash ribbons'.   You'll use about 1/2 of a medium-sized squash: save the bottom part with the seeds for another use.  
5. Add a drizzle of olive oil to the pan, followed by about 1/2 of the squash to form a single layer.  Allow to cook, undisturbed so that it crisps, about 2 minutes.   Season lightly with salt.  Toss gently and cook for 1 more minute.  Remove to a plate and cook your second (or third) batch.  
6. Create salad:  place greens in the bottom of a wide salad bowl.  Lightly toss with vinaigrette (you may not need it all.  Top with apple, feta, pecans and warm butternut squash ribbons.  Enjoy!   

Pfeffernusse
Makes 3 dozen cookies

Fun to say (Feffer-nuuse) Pfeffernüsse cookies are a type of traditional German spice cookie that is one of our holiday baking staples.  The name "Pfeffernüsse" translates to "pepper nuts" in English, reflecting the spiced nature of these cookies. Despite the name, they usually do not contain nuts.

The cookies are typically small, round, and may have a slightly crunchy exterior with a softer interior. They are flavored with a variety of spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and sometimes black pepper, which gives them a warm and aromatic taste. Not too sweet, as most German baking, they are very delicious with afternoon tea or coffee, or with a liqueur for dessert. Recipes may vary, and families often have their own versions passed down through generations.  If you can't find all of the extracts, use a little more vanilla, or, try making your own by infusing rum or vodka with star anise!  

1 cup (8oz.) white sugar 
2/3 cup (5 oz butter), softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract 
½ tsp lemon extract 
½ tsp anise extract 

1 tsp ground cinnamon 
½ tsp baking powder 
½ tsp salt 
½ tsp black pepper 
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg 
1/8 tsp cloves 
1 ¾ cup (9oz.) all-purpose flour 

1. Cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla and extracts.  
2. Sift together spices and flour; stir in to creamed mixture until combined 
3. Drop by the tablespoonful onto parchment-lined baking sheets
4. Bake in 350°F oven until tops look dry, about 10 minutes  

 Ready to cook?  Here's How!  

How to Participate:  

• Choose a class!  We offer both "Live Online" or Recorded Sessions.  What's the difference?  Read on!
   
• "Live Online Classes" are our latest class offerings, taught in real time on a specific date.   Join in, ask questions, cook right along with us.   The Good News: all of our "Live Online Classes" are recorded (just us, no one else), so if you can't make the exact date and time you can cook at your own pace when it suits you.  
   
• Our "Live Online Classes" become part of our "Recorded Classes" offerings, usually 2-4 weeks after the live date.    
   
• "Recorded Classes" are created from either previously live classes, or simply classes that work best to pause in between (like making Puff Pastry for instance!).  
   
• To shop or not to shop!   We offer ingredient packs for all of our "Live Online Classes" with either free pick-up in Waterloo, or Ontario-Wide Delivery.  Contact Us for Ingredient packs for "Recorded classes", specialty spice & pantry packs and out-of-province. We've got options! 
   
• What's the difference between "Class Only" or "Class + Ingredients" or "Class+Ingredients+Wine"? With a "Class Only" you're shopping yourself.   A "Class Only" purchase is PER HOUSEHOLD (i.e as many people as you can fit in your kitchen!). "Class+Ingredients" includes the class & ingredient pack from us.   We don't ship eggs :).  "Class+Ingredients+Wine" includes the class, ingredients AND our unique wine pairing.   
  
  
• Ingredient packs & recipes serve either 2 or 4 people, or as marked in the class description.   Our ingredients are top notch and support local farmers, suppliers &  small independent shops whenever we can!
  
  
• Once registered, you'll receive everything you need for a successful class via email.  Ingredient lists 2 weeks prior to the class, our handy cooking guide and zoom code 3 days prior, plus reminders as the class date nears.  Post class you'll receive the recipes & the link to the recording! 
   
• It's time to cook!  Have all of your ingredients measured out and ready to go.  No need to chop or do anything ahead of time: we go through the recipes every step of the way, with multiple check-ins, pauses & re-caps using optimal camera shots so you can see up close all of the action.  
   
• After class: we are now your Chef Friends for Life!  Share your results on social, email us a happy picture of kids eating your amazing dinner and reach out if you have ANY cooking questions, even if it has nothing to do with the class you just took.  We love to talk, teach & learn everything we can about food and it shows!

Smoked Salmon + Potato rosti + Yogurt Sauce 

The 'rosti' potato can feed many with few!  Just a couple of potatoes and you've got at least two dozen little appetizers!   They can be made ahead and then reheated in a 400F oven for a few minutes to crisp up.   Smoked salmon is a classic top, but they are truly delicious on their own, or topped with a little fried bacon, cheese & sour cream.  PATIENCE is the key here:  keep you heat medium, let them crisp about 75% on one side before flipping over to crisp the other side.  Add potato to hot oil, if it's cold, they will be greasy. 

The Yogurt sauce keeps well and is delicious with roasted chicken and oven-roasted rainbow trout!   

2 yellow-fleshed potatoes or small baking (Russet) potatoes 
Neutral oil 
Kosher Salt and fresh ground black pepper
½  lb smoked salmon, thinly sliced

Sauce: 

7-8 sprigs Dill, chopped, reserving some for garnish
1 tbsp. Capers, chopped
1/2 cup Yogurt
¼ cup Mayo
Lemon zest

1. Make Rosti: Grate potatoes with a coarse grater in a large bowl
2. Using a kitchen towel or your hands, squeeze potatoes, a handful at a time, to rid them of excess moisture; place in another bowl
3. Season well with salt and pepper
4. Heat a frying pan on the stove over medium-high heat; turn heat down slightly.   You will need to adjust your heat from medium-high to medium-low throughout the cooking process.  
5. Add a good amount of neutra oil, until the bottom is coated
6. Add 4-6 generous tablespoonfuls of grated potato to the pan and using a spatula, press onto pan.  There is no need to ‘pack’ the potatoes together: just drop them into the frying pan and gently tap down.  
7. Allow to cook 3-4 minutes, and then turn over and cook until crisp, about 2 more minutes.  
8. Make Yogurt Sauce by combining dill, capers, yogurt, mayo and lemon zest.   
9. Slice Salmon then serve on rosti garnished with yogurt sauce and some dill fronds.   

Hummus with ‘festive’ Tabouli 

This revolutionary hummus recipe is topped with a very festive looking tabouli for a quick, easy, inexpensive and make-ahead appetizer!  What more could you need this holiday season!   It is important to use 'fine' or extra fine bulgur wheat, available at Middle Eastern stores (as is the tahini, do not substitute peanut butter).  

The mini cucumber & sliced cherry or grape tomatoes resemble little ornaments, along with the flat-leaf parsley giving this a very festive look!  

1-398ml can chickpeas
1 large lemon
1 large clove garlic, crushed
2/3 cup tahini paste
kosher salt, to taste

¾ cup fine bulgur
5-6 sprigs flat leaf parsley 
½ pint grape tomatoes
1 mini cucumber 
Zest & Juice of 1 lemon 
2 tbsp. Olive oil 
Pinch of salt 

1. In a heatproof bowl place bulgur in a mixing bowl along with a pinch of salt.   Add 3/4 cup boiling water.   Let stand until hydrated.   
2. Slice tomatoes & cucumbers into rounds.  Coarsely chop parsley and mix all vegetables together with salt, juice & zest of lemon, and 2 tbsp. Olive oil.   
3. Fluff up bulgur and add into vegetables.   
4. Make Hummus:  Place garlic & lemon juice in the bottom of a blender. Add a pinch of salt and blend until smooth.
5. Top with 3-4 ice cubes.
6. Spoon out chickpeas into the blender (bring that flavourful aquafaba with it...you may need to add all of the 'bean juice'). 
7. Add tahini.
8. Blend, adding aquafaba to make a creamy consistency.
9. Hummus will be pourable at first, but will thicken as it stands. Pour onto a shallow plate.  
10. Top hummus with festive tabouli!  Serve with warm pita bread.  

Growing up my mom used to wrap up some of our favourite food items and stick them under the tree for Christmas.  Yes, a box of Triscuits or a favourite cereal would be part of our gifts!  Below find our Holiday Gift Guide, with our very own Amazon links to some of our favourite edible and useful kitchen tools are fantastic ideas for holiday gift giving.   The best part?  We've linked the products with fun cooking classes to create a full gift package experience!  A box of salt under the tree?  Not weird at all.  Happy Holidays!  

1.  Salt:   Both our everyday Kosher Salt and a special Vancouver Sea Salt are indispensable for the home cook.   We use Diamond Crystal brand Kosher Salt in almost all of our recipes.  LIght, sprinkled out of hand, it helps you to gain 'muscle memory' for general seasoning, so you learn to season those mashed potatoes or that whole roasted chicken perfectly every time.   Pricier and fancier Sea Salt is reserved for finishing a dish: a few flakes on a perfectly cooked scallop or grilled steak makes every bite better and better.  Salt under the tree?  Yes please!   

2.  Spices:   Our top two favourite spices are Garam Masala and Pimenton (Spanish Smoked Paprika).   Of course you'll find Garam Masala listed in recipes for our Butter Chicken Cooking Class and other curries, but with its warm spice blend we also love it on spiced nuts or or shortbreads, or sprinkled onto roasted squash.   Pimenton, or, smoked paprika is an absolute must in every kitchen.  From rice, to shrimp, to your favourite chili recipe, kick up the colour and the smokiness with an authentic Spanish tin of pimenton.  Our Spanish Supper Cooking class is pure paella love!  

3.  Asian Pantry staples:  Soy sauce is not just one bottle in the back of your cupboard.   Our favourite Japanese Soy Sauce, Kikkoman, is used for dipping where our favourite Chinese Light Soy Sauce, Pearl River is used for cooking.  Chinese Light or 'thin' soy sauce is essential for the 'wok' cook looking for an authentic taste in stir fries.    Pair Kikkoman Japanese Soy Sauce with Rice Wine Vinegar in equal amounts for the perfect dip for dumplings and tempura!  Our upcoming Japanese Family Cooking Class is the perfect gift of an experience!   

4.  Baking Soda: ok, come on Chefs, baking soda?  For a gift?!  Yes!  Baking soda is our new favourite ingredient that is transforming everything from chickpeas to ground beef.  Most recently we showcased how baking soda can transform boneless, skinless chicken breasts in our Indian Chicken Karahi Class.  

5.  Tomato Paste:  Double Concentrated Tomato Paste in a Tube!  Essential, handy when you only need a little, and the #1 UMAMI flavour boost you can add to many many dishes.   Tomato paste is quintessential for any braised dish, you'll find it coming up in our Braised Beef Short Rib Cooking Class!  

6.  Sichuan Peppercorns:  One of our stand-out classes this year was our Dan Dan Noodle Class.   You'll need the peppercorns for the incredible Chili Crisp recipe in that class.   

7.  Our 8" Wusthof Chefs Knife:  the brand and type of knife we have stood behind for almost 20 years.  A good knife = success in the kitchen.  These knives are guaranteed for life and still made by the same family in Germany, 120+ years and counting.  Pair it with our $5 Knife Skills Class!  

8.  Pasta Maker:  we can't live without our Marcato Pasta Maker.  One try at making pasta from scratch and you will be hard pressed to go back to the box!   From start to finish you can have Italian authentic pasta in about an hour.   We also use this pasta maker to make our homemade ramen noodles!   Click HERE for our homemade pasta class, and click HERE for our homemade Ramen class!  

9.  This has definitely been the year of the wok for us, and the more we use it, the better it becomes.  We recommend this YOSUKATA Carbon Steel Wok Pan.  It's a great price point, highly durable and heats food evenly and FAST!   Care instructions included.   

10.   The Potato Ricer (on sale this week!) is your guarantee for perfectly fluffy, lump-free potatoes every time.  If you know Chef Jody, her ricer gets a workout almost everyday!  

11.  A fine mesh strainer is a chef's tool that we can't live without.  From getting noodles to the pan sauce to straining out small amounts of shrimp stock, you'll need a fine mesh strainer.  We like this three pack!   Heat proof, strain everything from loose teas to hot chili oil.  

12.   A quality kitchen scissor, practical but appreciated!   From cutting fresh herbs to even the backbone out of a chicken, check out this pair of ZWILLING Kitchen Shears.  

13.  Our favourite cutting boards for over 10 years now are the Epicurean brand.  Made from recycled cardboard and dishwasher safe, this 14"x11" size is perfect for everyday chopping to carving a roast.   

14.  The iconic (and beautiful!) Kitchen-Aid Stand Mixer!  The 5 quart is our preferred size to make every dough you need, from bread to pasta.   Click HERE for the latest dreamy colour selections!  

15.  You've been thinking about it for years... the Vitamix blender!  If you've taken a class you know Kirstie uses it for everything from grinding dry spices to making hummus to soups to everyday smoothies.   Click HERE for our choice in a Vitamix Blender (and it's on sale right now too!). 

      And there you have it, some great ideas for the food lover in your life (or just for yourself!) By purchasing anything through these Amazon links, a tiny portion supports our small business as well, so it's win-win!