Jo Cooks

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ABOUT JO

Last updated on March 13th, 2019 at 02:24 pm

ABOUT JO COOKS

Joanna

Welcome to Jo Cooks where you’ll find delicious, tried-and-tested recipes for every occasion made with every day ingredients! They all come complete with step-by-step photo tutorials, videos and detailed instructions, all to help you succeed in your kitchen.

Jo Cooks has been around since 2011 and it started out as a place for me to store my recipes that I’ve collected over the years from friends and family. Here you’ll find hundreds and hundreds of delicious recipes, so make sure to check out the Recipes section and browse all your favorites!

People ask me all the time, what sort of food I cook and blog about. The truth is, everything. I cook anything and everything, and well, we eat everything, and if my husband and I can’t eat everything, there are plenty of friends, family or neighbours who love to help us out. I, most of all, love simple recipes with few everyday ingredients that you can either find in your pantry, or are easy to find at your local grocery store.

ABOUT JO

My name Joanna Cismaru, Jo for short, and I am the brains behind my food blog, Jo Cooks. I’m a writer, photographer, cookbook author and most importantly, I’m the cook that prepares all these scrumptious recipes that you can find here. My husband Remo, is the other force behind this blog. He’s the taste tester, IT genius, accountant extraordinaire and last but not least, my biggest supporter and pillar of strength.

We also have a new pup, a Blue Merle Australian Shepherd and his name is Indiana Jones. He’s the cutest dog alive, yes I know I’m biased, and he’s super active and keeps us laughing all day long. Many times you’ll see me share pictures of him and his shenanigans. I also have a personal assistant, Nicole who is amazing and loves food as much as I do. Together we make up the Jo Cooks team.

Indiana Jones

As long as I can remember I’ve always loved to cook and putz around in the kitchen. I’m seriously passionate about food and I do consider myself a foodie! I love all food and I will always try everything at least once, well maybe except bugs. I won’t try bugs and cats or dogs! But everything else goes.

I am totally self-taught and have no formal culinary training but I have been cooking for over 20 years. I’ve learned from my mistakes because there have been mess-ups in the kitchen, but I think that’s what makes us stronger and better at what we do. I love Julia Child’s style of cooking but I love to simplify meals, so that they are more attainable for the everyday cook.

MY PREVIOUS CAREER

Lemon Chicken Piccata

Lemon Chicken Piccata – a simple yet super impressive chicken piccata in a tasty lemon, butter and capers sauce. Perfect with pasta for a quick and delicious dinner.

In my previous career, I worked in the IT world doing software development, and while I enjoyed it, it was quite stressful. To relieve some of that stress, I always turned to cooking and baking, thus discovering my latest passion, and so this new “so-called” career evolved.

I am totally self-taught when it comes to cooking, though I have to thank my mom for teaching me the basics. I must say that I enjoy baking more than cooking so you will find quite a few baking recipes here. While I’m not a fancy baker I do love my breads and rolls and the occasional cake or pastry.

Coconut Shrimp Curry

Coconut Shrimp Curry

FUN FACTS

I was born in Romania, Transylvania to be exact. My family moved here when I was just a child. While I can honestly say I’ve never met a vampire, I do love my garlic. Here you will also find some of my favorite Romanian recipes that have been passed down to me from my mom and mother in law.

My husband and I met online back in the 90s when online dating wasn’t even a thing. 18 years later we’re still happily married and together we’ve made all our dreams come true.

My all time favorite food is anything Italian like lasagna, pizza, any kind of pasta and bacon!

MY COOKBOOK

If you love my recipes and would like more of my creations, you can find my cookbook 30 Minute One Pot Meals available to order.

You can order my “30-Minute One-Pot Meals” book at:

30-Minute One-Pot Meals

DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE TO JOCOOKS NEWSLETTER FOR FREE AND RECEIVE ALL NEW RECIPE NOTIFICATIONS DELIVERED RIGHT INTO YOUR INBOX. PLUS YOU'LL GET A FREE EBOOK!!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website. Your purchase helps support my work and helps in maintaining this blog, while at no extra cost to you.

Comments

  1. Pauline Ungless says

    May 19, 2019 at 3:23 pm

    Please may I subscribe to your site. your recipes look amazing, I’m looking forward to trying many of them. Many thanks for helping with the dinner menu ideas, I’m so tired of the same old ones. We are known amongst those that know us for our Monday night spaghetti dinner, ( I don’t even like the stuff) I make big batches of the sauce when I clean out the fridge and my husband Ron loves it. Monday night was hockey night many years ago and that was a quick and easy dinner for him tomato before I met him and the tradition has just kept going. We’ve been married for 43 years and he hasn’t played hockey for at least 20 of those years. I’m just beginning to break free and would really appreciate the new recipes.

    Reply

  2. David H says

    May 9, 2019 at 2:34 pm

    I love all your recipes, Jo! This one I am definitely going to try.

    Any suggestions on where to get ingredients like kaffir lime leaves in Calgary? I live in the northwest. Many thanks!

    Reply

    • Joanna Cismaru says

      May 10, 2019 at 1:53 pm

      Hi David! I find them at T&T Market! I’ve bought them in other places too, but I’m blanking out right now, I think the Market on McLeod used to carry them too, however I think it closed down.

      Reply

  4. Rebecca Arnold says

    May 2, 2019 at 12:10 pm

    I just saw a recipe pop up when I was looking at the Hungarian Goulash recipe. I believe it uses puff pastry (cut in triangles) and you make meatballs, put them cooked into the triangles, cook another 20 minutes and then surround the circle with lettuce, salsa, cheese, etc. Would you please tell me where I can find that recipe?

    Reply

  5. Shirley T says

    May 2, 2019 at 8:26 am

    Hi Jo.
    I do love your recipes. I’m a personal chef and cook for others in their homes. I try to adapt recipes that freeze well for my customers and I like using some if your recipes for them.
    I wish I could figure out the technical part of starting a blog but technology really escapes me. I guess I need to find someone to help me.
    Are you Canadian?
    Keep up the good work. Or should I say, good cooking?

    Reply

  7. Gerry says

    April 6, 2019 at 2:04 pm

    Please subscribe me to your blog. I had 5 children who all loved to eat, had #1- an abusive husband, then once my children (who mostly all loved to cook & bake) grew up, I divorced husband #1, met my true-love who thought I was perfect & could do anything, & I knew he was perfect !! #2 – I’m just getting back into life, cooking, traveling. He died 6 years ago, but wanted me to promise him to always eat the healthiest. So I did— of course I always would. I’m almost 86, but I’m planning to see my 100’th birthday, with love, happy times, & wonderful food.

    Reply

    • Joanna Cismaru says

      April 5, 2019 at 2:19 pm

      Hi Gail! In the top right hand corner there is a search bar to search for recipes, if you’re on desktop. Just type in what you’re searching for and all matching results will return. You can also click on recipes from the menu and you’ll see a listing of all the recipes then you can filter by categories from the right sidebar. If you’re on mobile, right under the logo there should be 3 lines, click on those and it should open up and at the bottom there should be a search bar. Let me know if this helps.

      Reply

  11. Caprice says

    April 2, 2019 at 10:30 am

    I am a subscriber, for a while now. and I have made several of recipes and enjoyed each one. I don’t think you post anything I wouldn’t want to make or eat. I am always printing out your recipes and look forward to my emails! Thank you

    Reply

  12. Fred McEvoy says

    March 31, 2019 at 6:36 pm

    Jo,
    I’ve been a fan ever since I ‘stumbled’ onto your site by accident months ago. I have tried several of your recipes with great success — they’re all down-to-earth, easy-to-read, and made with common items ‘usually on hand’ — and with super, delicious results!
    ‘Transylvania’s loss’ is ‘our gain’!
    And now a question…several years ago I was invited to a friend’s home for supper and she served a dish that she called ‘chicken chartreuse’. I’ve been looking for years but I’ve never seen it ‘in print’ by that name — it was ‘a chicken casserole-type dish’ made with some kind of breading-like ingredients and ‘served in squares’. Would you have any suggestions?
    My friend is long gone, otherwise I would surely ask her for the recipe!

    Reply

  14. Susan says

    March 27, 2019 at 8:05 am

    Hi Jo! You don’t know it, yet, but you are my new BEST FRIEND! I was stuck in the cooking rut….some good recipes…some not-so-good recipes. All of my “go to” recipes are some sort of comfort food….lol….meatloaf, mac n cheese, potatoes, tacos…you get the drift. In the last 2 weeks I have made the banana chocolate chip coffee cake, Chicken Gloria, and Shepherd’s Pie. I am in love! My family and friends are in awe….they fight for the leftovers…(literally I have an almost 13 year old son and a husband who bargain with chores and affection just to win the leftovers…pretty fun.) When they ask where I got the recipes, I tell them….”my best friend, Jo!” (I also direct them to your website…) Tonight I am going to be making Kung Pao Chicken. I’m trying to stay positive because I have tried to make this many times before and it was in a word, “nasty”. I’m hopeful, though….I think I’ll make peanut butter cookies for dessert…hmmmm. THANK you so much for sharing and encouraging the soldiers in the kitchen…aka moms. HUGS and blown kisses to you, girlfriend!!

    Reply

  15. Larry says

    March 26, 2019 at 5:11 am

    Have you ever adapted your recipes to a Smoker. I would really love to try your Firecracker Chicken on my Pellet Smoker.

    Reply

  16. Pompilia says

    March 25, 2019 at 11:45 am

    Hi Jo,

    Just came across your blog and I absolutely love it. My husband and I are both Romanian and I always love to see how others cook traditional foods. I haven’t had a chance to search your recipes yet, but I was hoping you have a great recipe for Pasca? Thank you.

    Pompilia

    Reply

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