Food
Devin Connell’s Cookbook Delivers On The Promise Of Helping You Make Spontaneous Meals, Fast!
Updated on June 9, 2023
Devin Connell’s cookbook, Conveniently Delicious, delivers on the promise of helping you make spontaneous meals, fast. Her mantra? Cook what you crave, and not what you think you should be eating. “It makes the whole process much more fun, which is one of the reasons why I don’t meal plan,” says Devin, the Toronto cookbook author, Food Network Canada personality and entrepreneur. “If you’re prescriptive in your cooking, you can get resentful and it can be boring. If you stock your fridge and pantry with the right essentials, you can cook things you want in that moment.”
Devin’s first cookbook in 2009, Two Dishes, was co-authored with her mom, Ace Bakery co-founder Linda Haynes. Since then, Devin has had two kids, opened (and shuttered) her gourmet takeout business, Delica Kitchen, and developed a successful food website, Crumb. She’s a busy person who still wants to cook and host, so throwing a meal together quickly is her superpower. “We need food, fast. But we also want something that is wholesome, delicious, easy to prepare, appealing to the whole family and, as much as possible, can be made in 30 minutes or less. Too big an ask? Heck NO!”
We asked Devin to share a few of her favorite recipes from her new book. Scroll down!
Salt and Pepper Flank Steak With Quick Tomato Shallot Kimchi
“For weekly steak dinners, nothing serves me better than flank. It cooks in mere minutes and, because it comes on the larger side, it’s often big enough to serve the whole family.”
Get the full recipe here.
Apple, Cheddar, Celery and Kale Salad
“My mom used to serve an apple and cheddar sandwich on raisin-walnut bread at the Ace Bakery Café, and it was a favourite of mine. I turned that sandwich into a hearty salad here, and it’s one of the few salads my own kids will consume with enthusiasm.”
Get the full recipe here.
My Favorite Drumsticks With Peanuts and Lime
“Drumsticks are sort of impossible to screw up. Dark meat on a bone stays moist even if you overcook it. There was a time when I served these at every dinner party over the course of one summer.”
Get the full recipe here.
Strawberry Jammies
“These were the most popular dessert at my beloved old café, Delica. They’re rich, tender cakes that are spiked with a bit of almond extract and a sweet swirl of strawberry jam.”
Get the full recipe here.
©Louisa Nicolaou