Blueberry pancakes for dinner

When my father had to make dinner for us and my mother was out of town we always had something interesting. Since then my father has become the main chef in the house but at the time we never new what my father would make. So my mother was in Toronto for the weekend and my father had to make dinner. He only had a could recipes under his belt. Pancakes was one of the best thing my father made and well... that is what we had for dinner. Here is the best recipe for pancakes you will ever make.

Blueberry Pancakes

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

  3 tablespoons white sugar

  3 teaspoons baking powder

  1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

  3/4 teaspoon salt

  3 cups buttermilk

  1/2 cup milk

  3 eggs

  2 tbsp butter, melted

  1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs and melted butter. Keep mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.
  2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. You can flick water across the surface and if it beads up and sizzles, it's ready!
  3. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, using a wooden spoon or fork to blend. Stir until it's just blended together. Do not over stir! Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/2 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.
  
  
  WARNING- This recipe makes many many pancakes. I always love leftovers but this makes a healthy batch.

Soup makes unemployment tasty.

Just got back from an interview and I am hoping this is the one. Although, I say that every time. The economy is killing me. Oy.

So instead of complaining... I cook. This is my sisters favorite soup. I made it when she came to visit me and it was all gone 2 days later. Here it is...

Minestrone Soup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 cup celery

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small zuchinni, sliced

1/2 cup beans

4 carrots, chopped

3 1/2 cups cold water

1 bouillion cube

1 can tomatoes ( or 6/7 fresh tomatoes)

2 large spoon fulls of tomato past

1 tsp salt

1 healthy bunch of fresh basil

1 tbsp oregano

3/4 cup favorite pasta (I like the little wheels)

In deep pot on medium, heat oil Saute onion, garlic, carrots, celery until everything is tender. Add water, tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, herbs and slowly bring to a boil.Add bouillon cube. Stir constantly. Lower heat and let simmer for approximately 20 min. Add zucchini and beans simmer for another 20 min and then add favorite pasta and simmer for another 10 min. I like to serve the soup with grated parmesan cheese.

Enjoy.

Not working but cooking

Risotto with Leeks, Shiitake

Mushrooms, and Truffles

Bon Appétit | September 2007

Gabriel Rucker

I tried this recipe and it was amazing. One of the

best risotto dishes I have ever made. I did change

some things because I love to eat and the sooner

I get to eat the better. Instead of putting the

mushrooms in the oven I simply seared them

in a pan. It was faster and easier. I also used

several different kinds of mushrooms for

flavor and esthetics. Other than that, keep to

the recipe and be patient. Risotto is about

pouring love into the dish and watching

it become beautiful, creamy and sumptuous.

Stir stir stir.

Visit Bon Appetit for more recipes to

keep you busy while you look for work.

Leeks:

• 2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved, thinly sliced crosswise (about 2 cups)
• 3/4 cup whipping cream

Mushrooms:

• 1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, cut into 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick slices
• 1 large onion, halved, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon white truffle oil
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Risotto:

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 5 cups (or more) hot vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons shaved or chopped black truffle (optional)
• Chopped fresh parsley

print a shopping list for this recipe

preparation

For leeks:
Bring leeks and cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until leeks are tender and cream is thick, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm before continuing.

For mushrooms:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss all ingredients on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until mushrooms are tender and light brown around edges, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

For risotto:
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Add wine and stir until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup hot broth. Simmer until broth is almost absorbed, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add more broth, 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring often, until rice is tender and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes longer. Stir in leek mixture, mushroom mixture, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cheese, and truffle. Transfer to large bowl, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Market TipWhite truffle oil is sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets. Black truffles are available at specialty foods stores and from igourmet.com. A flavorful substitute for the shaved truffles is the Truffle Gatherers Sauce ($19), which can be ordered from fungusamongus.com.

Looking for a Job or just 1950's house wife.

I just thought I would rant about how I moved to Toronto with no job and assumed I would be working within a few weeks. I was horribly wrong and apparently the recession hit Ontario much worse than Alberta.

Here are the websites I visit everyday:

http://www.workopolis.com

Although this is a great resource, I am competing against millions of other people for the same job. I apply anyways in hopes someone will call and give me a job

http://www.jobs.utoronto.ca/site4.aspx

Before moving to Toronto I worked at the University of Alberta and am completely qualified to work at an education institution. Yet, no phone call yet.

http://jobs-emplois.gc.ca/index-eng.htm

My government does not even call me back. I must say that jobs.gc.ca is a very well organized page.

Well to pass my time I started to cook. I usually wake up, send off 5 to 6 resumes, look up recipes, and then go to the markets or grocery store. Now I know what a 1950's house wife did all day. Oh my, what have a I got myself into.

Luba