Plain Homemade Pancakes

Every so often someone asks for an old favorite, last week it was homemade pancakes.  Why not use a commercial pancake mix you are asking yourself? 

Years ago there was no really good “pancake mixes” available here so I frantically called my good friend and she gave me this simple mix. 

I still use this pancake mix today basically because it is easy to put together, it is economical and it can be doubled and tripled without causing any damage to the quality of the pancake which actually makes it almost foolproof.

[The batter can be prepared the night before and stored in the refrigerator - just remember take it out of the frig about 15 minutes before you want to use it and give it a stir, you may need to add a dollop of milk to thin the batter.]

[Rating – easy]

Preparation time: 

10 minutes to combine ingredients

Makes about 12-15 medium sized pancakes

Ingredients: 

1 ½ cups of plain flour

1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons sugar

2 eggs

3 tablespoons of canola oil

1 cup of milk (or milk substitute)

(honestly that’s it)

Milk, oil, sugar, eggs and flour

Preparation: 

• Place all the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix together
• Add the remaining ingredients (eggs, oil, milk)

(if you are making it ahead you can use a large plastic container with a cover or cover your bowl with plastic wrap to keep the batter from picking up any other food  odors)

Stir with a spoon

• Stir until all ingredients are mixed together - not too much or the pancakes will be tough tasting instead of light and airy

[the batter should be sort of lumpy]

and bubbly and shiny

Batter should be thick and lumpy . . .

• Pour the batter by the spoonful into a lightly oiled frying pan or grill [wipe the pan with a paper towel to remove any excess oil]

You can make your pancakes as big or as small as you want.

• Pancakes should be turned over when they start to look like this.

Ready for turning

Turning

Our Favorite Combination
Stack of pancakes with Canadian Maple Syrup

Serve with maple syrup, cinnamon and sugar or honey.


Additions or Substitutions:

*Add fresh or frozen berries to the batter

*Use milk substitute instead of cow milk
*Try and use real Canadian Maple Syrup  
*Pancakes can be frozen in ziplock bags and reheated in the microwave for a couple of seconds.


Enjoy!!!

Basil Pesto

Basil, basil everywhere – my window box is just loaded with basil so what better time to make pesto and freeze it for quick pasta dinners in the months to come.

Fresh Basil

Actually I made Basil Pesto  three times this week because my plants are just flourishing. My measurements are “more or less” because it is just that kind of recipe. I put everything in my food processor and use the standard cutting blade.

[Rating – easy]

Preparation time: 

10 minutes to combine ingredients and freeze

Basil (center)
Olive Oil, Pine Nuts and Walnuts, Whole Garlic Cloves,
Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese cubed

Ingredients: 

2 cups of fresh basil leaves (washed and air dried)

½ cup of pine nuts or 100 grams more or less

½ cup of walnuts or 100 grams more or less

8-10 cloves of garlic

½ cup to ¾ cup of hard cheese (Pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano)

Coarsely ground black pepper – about ¼ to ½ teaspoon

1 cup Olive Oil more or less

Preparation: 

• Place the pine nuts and walnuts in the food processor
• Process until they are coarsely ground (they should look sort of lumpy)

Coarsely ground pine nuts and walnuts

• Add the basil leaves and the garlic
• Pulse the processor the basil and garlic will begin to blend with the nuts
• Add the cheese

Large Chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese with fresh Basil leaves

• Continue to pulse until the ingredients look combined - but not smooth!!!
• Slowly add the Olive Oil while processing
• The mixture will begin to turn one color
• Scrape down the sides, test the consistency
• Add pepper to taste
• And pulse for a few more seconds

Basil Pesto in Food Processor

A close look at Basil Pesto - it should be a bit grainy 

Storage:
I usually place the Pesto in a silicon cupcake form and cover it with saran wrap.
When the Pesto is frozen it is easy to remove, you just peel the Pesto pelts out of the form and then you can store the individual portions in a container in the freezer; the portions stay separate and you will have Basil Pesto available whenever you want to put together a quick meal.
Enjoy, this is really easy and the results can be enjoyed for a very long time.
Looking forward to your feedback at capricorncooks@gmail.com.

Basil Pesto in silicon cupcake form - great for freezing.

Quick Tomato Bruschetta

It was very hot the other night so I opted for a quick Tomato Bruschetta. 
I knew I had fresh tomatoes and a French bread at home but also no Kalamata Olives. I did find a very good substitute – anchovies.

You can vary the amounts of the ingredients to your liking.

[Rating – easy]

Preparation time: 

10 minutes cutting and cooking + 5 minutes to combine ingredients and serve]



Basil leaves, chopped tomato, hot green pepper,
French bread, garlic, anchovies,
crumbled Feta cheese



Hot green pepper without the tip (top left), sliced Basil leaves (top center),
anchovies mashed in olive oil (top right), half roasted red pepper (bottom left),
tip of the hot green pepper chopped bottom center)

Ingredients: for 2 servings

• 1 French bread – cut in half length-wise and then in large flat slices 
• 4 medium size tomatoes cubed (keep the juice)
• 6-8 large basil leaves (Chiffonade - see below)

Basil leaves 
[to "Chiffonade" your Basil - stack your leaves on each other;
then roll them like a cigar; then slice thinly; fluff out with your fingers] 

• 2 anchovies (mashed)
• 2 whole cloves of garlic
• 4 tablespoons of Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped (Very Hot) Green Pepper [THIS JUST ADDS FLAVOR, NOT TOO MUCH HEAT - TASTE THE PEPPER BEFORE YOU ADD IT TO BE SURE YOU CAN TOLERATE THE HEAT]
• ½ roasted Red Pepper cubed
• Freshly ground black pepper

Optional Additions or Substitutions:

*Finely chopped Kalamata Olives instead of anchovies
*Chili flakes instead of chopped fresh hot pepper
*Garlic:  add 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
*4 tablespoons of Feta cheese crumbled into small pieces
*Lemon juice
*Note: Any type of crusty bread will do if you don't have a bagette.

Preparation:

Bread:

• Place the slices on a hot frying pan (or under the grill in the oven, or on an outdoor grill) until they begin to brown around the edges
• Remove from the heat to a serving plate
• Vigorously rub the open side of the bread with the garlic clove to coat (the garlic clove should sort of break apart a bit - I actually smashed it with the side of my knife and then rubbed - it released more of the flavor)

Bread after being pan toasted and rubbed with garlic

Tomato Topping:

• Place the cubed tomatoes in a medium size bowl
• Add the cubes of roasted Red Pepper

• In a small bowl – mash the anchovies into the olive oil until it almost disappears (see picture above)
• Add the hot Green Pepper and the thin slices of basil leaves.

• Pour this mixture over the tomatoes and stir gently [you can use this mixture immediately or let it marinate a bit in the refrigerator for an hour or so]

To Assemble:
Spoon the tomato mixture onto the warm toasted bread. 
Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Tomato Bruschetta

We topped our Tomato Bruschetta with some crumbled Feta cheese and also added a generous squeeze of lemon juice. 

I hope this works for you - it was quick and easy My Official Taster said it was very delicious.

Looking forward to hearing your comments  .  .   . 

Mock Mushroom Risotto

Looked in the refrigerator and found some mushrooms that needed using, some frozen chicken soup, frozen peas and frozen grated cheese. Decided to try and make risotto - spontaneously - so here is my very simple version - there is no butter and no white wine - but it came out really terrific.

These ingredients make enough for 4 main course servings.

[Rating – needs attention – but easy]

[Preparation time: 10 minutes to cut and chop + 25-30 minutes to mix the liquids into the rice]

Arborio rice, mushrooms, garlic, onions and peas

Ingredients:

1 cup Arborio rice or for risotto (see picture) – DO NOT RINSE THE RICE!!

Arborio rice grains

At least 2 cups of sliced fresh mushrooms (button, Portobello and/or fresh shitake or whatever fresh mushrooms you have available)

At least 2 to 3 cups of chicken stock or any other liquid 

(used homemade chicken soup, added water as needed, white wine works also)

1 tablespoon chopped garlic (or more or less if you like)

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (more or less)

1 cup grated hard cheese (Pecorino or Parmigiano-Reggiano)

Black pepper

2 tablespoons Olive oil or Canola oil 

Preparation:

• Heat large frying pan or wide low pot - Add oil 
• Add onions and cook until softened and translucent
• Add the garlic and nutmeg into the onions - mix
• Add mushrooms - they will begin to soften and shrink a bit when this happens 
• Add rice and mix until it looks kind of opaque or translucent and is well coated with the oil

 onions, mushrooms and rice before adding liquid

• Add one ladle of chicken stock and simmer until it is absorbed, stirring it gently.

 onions, mushrooms and rice after adding chicken stock

• Continue adding remaining stock ladle by ladle using the same process as above [the rice is releasing starches, which what makes this dish so delicious]
• Every so often taste the rice, when the rice begins to get chewy and the mixture is like a thick-ish oatmeal consistency - ADD the peas - MIX 

 mushrooms and rice with peas

• Turn off the heat and add the ground cheese.

 mushrooms, rice, peas adding cheese

• To serve - transfer to bowls and serve immediately.

 Mock Mushroom Risotto

You could bump it up with white wine [next time I just might] and butter.

Let me know what you think and any suggestions you might have.

Feta Cheese and Fresh Tomato Salad

Once again this recipe is a basic concept - it is quick and easy to prepare. You can vary the amounts of the ingredients to your liking. The ingredients are for 2 generous servings - this recipe doubles and triples nicely.
[Rating – easy]

[Preparation time: 10 minutes to cut up ingredients + 10-20 minutes toasting pita in oven or toaster oven + 5 minutes to combine ingredients and serve]

top: Cubed red onion & cubed tomatoes
bottom: mashed feta cheese & garlic

Ingredients:

For the Pita:

1 pita – cut in cubes then separate each piece into two (see picture)

1 tablespoon chopped garlic (or more or less if you like)

Olive oil (2 tablespoons)

           *   *   *

For the Salad:

150 grams Feta cheese mashed

1 medium size onion cut into small cubes

2 medium size tomatoes cubed (with the juices)

4 tbls lemon juice

Olive oil (2 tablespoons)

Black pepper to taste

The red onion actually gives the dish a bit of a sweet flavor, but if you don’t like the taste of onion, you can leave it out. There are many ways you can “bump it up” - add sliced olives, little cubes of pickled peppers, fresh basil or slices of sun-dried tomato for example.

Preparation:

Pita croutons [while this is browning prepare the salad ingredients]

• Place cubed pita in a hot oven for about 10 minutes.
• When the pita starts to brown sprinkle with olive oil and add the garlic, STIR. 
• Continue baking until pita looks toasty and a bit crunchy, STIR every so often. 
• Remove from the oven. 

Pita cut in cubes with the layers separated

Pita after browning (with olive oil & garlic)

Salad Mix 

• In a large bowl mix the cubed onion with the mashed feta cheese.
• Add lemon juice, olive oil, pepper  - mix.
• Pour the baked pita pieces into the bowl - mix.

 Mashed feta cheese with red onions,
 olive oil and black pepper before mixing

With oven roasted pita before mixing

• Add the cubed tomatoes - mix [don't forget to add the juice from the tomatoes]
• Serving suggestions follow.

Salad in a bowl

On lettuce 

Same salad bumped up

Looking forward to your suggestions and questions.

Cinnammon Carrot Cake



This carrot cake is a major favorite with my family and friends. I actually MIX the ingredients together by hand using a large spoon in a large bowl, so you don't need to get your mixer out and clean up is easy. This is important to me because I seem to be making this cake at least once a month to take to friends or for my brother-in-law when he visits.

Important: don't be tempted to add walnuts, raisins, pecans or even frosting on top to bump things up - honestly this recipe stands on its own; try it this way first.

Top left: sugar & oil
Top right: Flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt
& 6 tablespoons of cinnamon
Center: grated carrots
Bottom left: pineapple chuncks
Bottom right: eggs

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2-6 tbls ground cinnamon

2 cups sugar

1 ¼ cup canola oil (1 cup is enough) 

4 eggs

1 large can of pineapple pieces - drained

2 cups grated carrots (use a food processor small sized grater blade or grate by hand)

Preparation:

• In a large bowl add the sugar and the oil and mix until sugar almost dissolves.
• In a separate bowl MIX the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon (the original recipe called for 2 tbls of cinnamon – I use about 6 tbls of cinnamon, sometimes more) until well blended.
• Add the dry mixture to the sugar and oil mixture and MIX.
• Add the eggs and MIX together.
• Finally add the grated carrots and drained pineapple pieces and MIX.
• Pour into prepared pans (I use silicon molds and lightly spray them with canola oil).

 

Bake at 350F/180 C - approximately 40 minutes if you are making one large cake or approximately 30 minutes for these little ones. If the toothpick comes out dry they are ready.

  

Suggestions and Options"
The cake does puff up a bit on top, so don't overfill your pans. The first time you make the cake check if after about 20 minutes - baking time depends on your individual oven and you don't want to under or over bak the cake. I sometimes tap the top of my cakes instead of using a toothpick, if they sound hollow and/or bounce back I know they are ready.

This cake freezes well - defrost 30-40 seconds in the microwave.

Looking forward to hearing your comments, suggestions or answering your questions.