Christine Flynn's Easy Does It Cookbook: 3 Simple Recipes for Busy Home Cooks
Christine Flynn, an experienced chef and recipe developer, has released her third cookbook titled Easy Does It, published by Penguin Canada in 2026. This collection features 98 practical recipes designed to simplify home cooking while saving both time and money. The book includes three standout dishes that showcase Flynn's approach to accessible cuisine: pepperoni pizza polenta, dill pickle poached cod with scallion sauce, and beer cheese with dark rye accompanied by pickles.
From Restaurant Chef to Home Cook Advocate
With decades of professional experience in Michelin-starred restaurants and years of teaching cooking classes, Flynn has developed a deep understanding of common challenges faced by home cooks. Her previous works include How to Eat with One Hand (2021) focused on recipes for new parents and A Generous Meal (2023) which represented a personal culinary project. Easy Does It marks a deliberate shift toward creating recipes "for the people" based on Flynn's observations of home cooking pain points.
"I learned so much about pain points for people in cooking, about things that they're curious about, and about ways that I think are second-nature," Flynn explains. "Things like, 'Well, of course I would save my pickle brine,' that light people up, and you unlock something in them. I wanted to write a book that took some of the guesswork out of cooking, but also encouraged people in a meaningful way to be thoughtful about what they're doing, but thoughtful in a way that doesn't feel overwhelming."
Practical Cooking for Modern Lifestyles
The cookbook developed over five years during significant life transitions for Flynn, including a move from Ontario's Niagara region to Nova Scotia's South Shore where she now lives on two-and-a-half acres with her husband Oscar and three children. This period also saw Flynn balancing multiple professional roles including running a Niagara winery, serving as executive chef for 10 Toronto restaurants, appearing on the Fire Masters TV series, and doing food styling work for various brands.
"There was just so much going on, and the kind of recipe that I had the bandwidth for was very different, and I think that that's OK," Flynn reflects. "I'm really glad, because it was inspiring in a different way than the other books were inspiring."
Three Featured Recipes from Easy Does It
Pepperoni Pizza Polenta: This creative dish transforms traditional polenta into a pizza-inspired meal with the addition of pepperoni and classic pizza flavors, offering a comforting and easy-to-prepare option for busy weeknights.
Dill Pickle Poached Cod with Scallion Sauce: Demonstrating Flynn's resourceful approach to ingredients, this recipe makes innovative use of pickle brine to poach cod fillets, creating a flavorful and moist fish dish accompanied by a bright scallion sauce.
Beer Cheese with Dark Rye and Pickles: A perfect example of Flynn's philosophy that "the perfect ingredient is the one you already have," this recipe combines beer-infused cheese with dark rye bread and pickles for a satisfying snack or appetizer that requires minimal preparation.
Beyond Recipes: Shopping Smarter and Kitchen Efficiency
In addition to the 98 recipes, Easy Does It includes practical advice for smarter grocery shopping, guidance on which ingredients represent worthwhile investments, and recommendations for kitchen tools that can reduce preparation time. Flynn emphasizes that her current approach to cooking differs significantly from her restaurant training, where shortcuts were discouraged.
"When I trained in Michelin-starred restaurants and started cooking professionally at a high level, shortcuts were discouraged," Flynn notes. "The cooking I do today is decidedly different, when, more often than not, I'm trying to make a meal for my family in 15 minutes."
The cookbook encourages home cooks to embrace practical techniques like using blenders or box graters instead of knives when appropriate, and to focus on making the most of ingredients already available in their kitchens. Flynn's philosophy centers on removing unnecessary complexity from home cooking while maintaining flavor and satisfaction in every dish.
