Charmaine’s Gift to you on Mother’s Day
Easy Recipes to Try at Home (From a Local Cookbook We Love)
Every once in a while, something comes into the store that just feels worth sharing.
This cookbook is one of those.
It’s simple, really approachable, and full of the kind of recipes you actually make more than once. The kind your family asks for again.
We pulled a few favourites to try at home — nothing fussy, just really good food.
Char’s Salmon Burgers with Caper Lime Mayo
If fish burgers have ever felt intimidating, this is a nice place to start.
They’re simple to pull together, hold their shape well, and come out crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. The caper lime mayo adds just enough brightness without being overpowering.
This is one of those meals that feels a little different, but still easy enough for a weeknight.
INGREDIENTS
Caper Lime Mayo
Salmon Burgers
This mayo works well as poached shrimp dip too.
½ cup (75 mL) mayonnaise
2 tbsp (30 mL) roughly chopped capers
2 lb (900 g) boneless, skinless salmon fillet
¾ cup (175 mL) coarse breadcrumbs
½ tsp (2 mL) hot sauce
½ cup (125 mL) finely chopped green onion
¼ cup (60 mL) chopped fresh dill
1 clove garlic, minced
Finely grated zest of 1 lime
1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard
½2 tsp (2 mL) salt
Stir together all ingredients until well combined.
Set aside.
¼ tsp (1 mL) pepper
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
METHOD
Cut salmon in chunks. Place in a food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse
until roughly chopped.
Place salmon in a large bowl and add remaining burger ingredients (except for oil).
Mix until well combined.
Using clean hands, form mixture into 4 even-size patties. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes
(or up to 1 day).
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook burgers (in batches if necessary) until
bottoms are golden and crisp (about 2 to 3 minutes), then flip them and turn heat down to medium.
/ Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 158°F (70°C).
When ready to serve, place burgers on buns of choice (I like brioche) and slather each burger evenly
with Caper Lime Mayo.
/ Makes 4 servings.
Delicious &
Mile-High Caramel S’mores Bars
These are just fun.
No campfire, no mess — but you still get that soft, gooey, chocolatey thing everyone loves. The caramel layer gives it a bit more richness, so it feels a little more like a proper dessert.
Good for weekends, or honestly… just when you feel like making something sweet.
INGREDIENTS
Base
2 cups (500 mL) Graham cracker crumbs
⅓ cup (75 mL) melted butter
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Stir together
crumbs and butter (mixture should look a bit
wet). Measure out ½ cup (125 mL) of mixture and
set aside. Press remaining crumb mixture into
the bottom of a parchment paper-lined 8" x 8"
square baking pan. Bake in the centre of the oven
for about 10 minutes, or until edges are slightly
golden. Remove from the oven and cool completely
while making chocolate marshmallow layer.
Caramel Layer
Note: You can use ¾ cup (175 mL) prepared
caramel sauce instead of making your own
¾ cup (175 mL) packed brown sugar
⅞ cup (75 mL) butter
2 tbsp (30 mL) dark corn syrup
2 tbsp (30 mL) 35% whipping cream
Combine all ingredients is a small sauce pot. Cook
over medium heat, stirring only once or twice until
mixture comes to a gentle boil. Continue to cook,
stirring once or twice until sugar has dissolved
(about 1 minute) and turns caramel in colour.
Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Important: Caramel will be very hot, avoid sticking
your finger in to taste. Although tempting, it's not
worth a sore finger and burning the roof of your
mouth. Wait a few minutes to let caramel cool
before indulging.
Chocolate Marshmallow Layer
1 1b (500 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
(or dark chocolate chips)
¼ cup (60 mL) butter
1 tbsp (15 mL) dark corn syrup
3 cups (750 mL) mini marshmallows, divided
Over a double boiler melt chocolate, butter, and
corn syrup. Remove from heat (mixture will appear
to be thick) and let stand for about 10 minutes.
Fold in 2 cups (500 mL) marshmallows. Using the
back of a spoon, gently spread mixture evenly over
the Graham cracker base. Sprinkle top evenly with
remaining 1 cup (250 mL) marshmallows. Chill while
preparing caramel.
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Delicious & Doable
Char’shuka with Chorizo & Olive Tapenade
This one leans a little more savoury.
It’s warm, a bit hearty, and perfect with a big piece of crusty bread. The kind of meal you can put in the middle of the table and everyone just digs into.
It’s simple, but feels like you put in more effort than you did.
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 chorizo sausages (approx. 100g each),
casing removed
1 tsp (5 mL) each of dried basil leaves and
dried oregano leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
¼ tsp (1 mL) chili flakes
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
6 eggs
Olive Tapenade (page 168)
¼ cup (60 mL) each of chopped fresh parsley
and chopped fresh mint
METHOD
/ Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
~ Cook onions and sausage (breaking up sausage with a wooden spoon) for about 10 minutes until
edges of onions and sausage are golden brown.
Add dried herbs, garlic, salt, and chili flakes. Stir until onion and sausage are coated in spices.
V Stir in tomatoes. Cover and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.
Once the sauce has thickened, use the back of a spoon to make 6 wells in sauce. Crack one egg in
each well
Cover pan with lid and cook for an additional 5 to & minutes until eggs are cooked to desired
consistency. Remove from heat and remove the lid. Cool slightly.
* Dollop Olive Tapenade evenly over cooked Char'shuka and garnish evenly with parsley and mint.
Serve with crusty bread.
V Makes about 6 servings.
DED
Tips
for the sausage.
• Add ½2 cup (125 mL) crumbled goat
cheese to dish before serving.
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Delicious & Doable
These recipes look so delicious!!! Can’t wait to try them all. A special thanks to Charmaine for sharing with us. You can purchase her cookbook here.
If You Love This Kind of Thing
We always have a few pieces in the store that go along with this slower, at-home kind of moment.
Candles, small comforts, little things that make a night in feel a bit better.
Browse cozy home pieces →
Explore giftable little luxuries →
A Note on the Cookbook
If you’ve been looking for something like this, it’s a really nice one to keep on the counter.
Easy recipes. Nothing overcomplicated. Just good, everyday cooking.
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