The Prairie Table features good ol’ Canadian recipes from the blogger behind the highly successful The Kitchen Magpie. In this cookbook, Karlynn Johnston shares over 100 recipes – from appetizers and main dishes to side dishes, delicious desserts and cocktails (compliments of Mr. Kitchen Magpie). These tasty yet doable recipes will encourage us to share more meals with those we love and remind us of the importance of reconnecting at the end of a busy day.

I immediately enjoyed the personable, friendly feel to Karlynn’s writing as she shares the recipes she makes for her own family and big get-togethers. Organized into 8 chapters and with a nostalgic, retro vibe to its colour pictures, Karlynn weaves some of her heritage into the book by dedicating the first chapter to the tasty Ukrainian dishes she grew up on. As a Tater Connoisseur myself, I’m particularly smitten with the section on perogies – particularly her “Choose Your Own Perogy Adventure“!

I tried a couple of the recipes before this review — my daughter and I made the Cake Mix Cookies (using Cherry Chip – deelish!) and I’m relieved to know that Karlynn (like myself) is a serious banana hoarder. I am not alone. Phew! Her Banana Gingerbread Loaf was a great way to reduce my cache of frozen ‘nanas and it was big time yum at home and shared with coworkers at WPL. With my eye on many more recipes to try (Beer and Orange-Glazed Salmon, Curried Honey Chipotle Sweet Potatoes, Make-Ahead Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole…), this will be a much used cookbook in my home.

With good tips, a wonderful down-home feel and a great selection of doable recipes, The Prairie Table will get home cooks into the kitchen and eager to share their new culinary skills at family dinners, dinner parties and large potlucks.

-Laurie P.