What can be better for a lazy Sunday breakfast than pancakes? Blueberry pancakes, perhaps? With a drizzle of luscious sweet maple syrup. Why do Sundays only happen once a week?

recipe adapted from Breakfast by Williams-sonoma

about 16 pancakes

• Flour - 2 cups
• Sugar - 4 tablespoons
• Baking powder - 2 teaspoons
• Baking soda - 1 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt - 1/2 teaspoon
• Milk - 1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons
• Eggs, lightly whisked - 2
• Butter, melted - 2 tablespoons
• Blueberries, fresh or frozen - 1 1/2 cups
• Oil for frying

- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well mixed and make a well in the centre.
- Pour the eggs, the ilk, and melted butter in the well, then gradually whisk from the centre outward, until the ingredients are wll combined but still a little lumpy.
- Do not (!!!) overmix the batter, or the pancakes will be heavy and tough.
- Very gently stir in the blueberries. The batter will be thick.
- Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Brush it with oil.
- Slowly ladle 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet.
- When the pancakes begin to bubble in the centre and the undersides are golden, after about 2 minutes, flip them
- Cool until the second side is golden, about 1 minute longer.

I love my ice cream maker. It's so much fun and if I am making a Phyladelphia style (no custard) ice cream, it only takes a few minutes to make. This ice cream is one of those really quick ones with only a handful of ingredients, besides Peanut Butter and Chocolate are a match made in heaven.

recipe from The Perfect Scool by David Lebovitz

• Cream 10%, half and half - 2 cups
• Unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder - 1/4 cup
• Sugar - 1/2 cup
• Pinch of salt
• Creamy peanut butter - 1/2 cup

- Whisk together the cream, cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a large saucepan.
- Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it comes to a full, rolling boil.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the peanut butter, stirring until blended.
- Chill the mixture thoroughly.
- Then freeze it in you ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Warm, salty, and satisfying recipe for a cold night. Crunch bacon and soft peas are perfect contrast to chewie pasta.

recipe adapted from Everyday Food Magazine

• Spaghetti - 150 g
• Bacon, chopped - 6 strips
• Onion, chopped - 1
• Cream 10%, half and half - 1/2 cup
• Pasta water - 1/2 cup
• Frozen peas - 1/2 cup
• Salt, pepper

- Cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain and save 1/2-1 cup cooking water.
- Fry the bacon until it's crispy. Transfer to a paper towel to get rid off some excess oil.
- Drain a little bit of the bacon fat, leaving only 1-2 tablespoons.
- Saute the onion in bacon fat until it's caramelized.
- Add cream and 1/2 cup of pasta water to the pan and let it cook for about 1 minute.
- Add the peas and let them warm through.
- Return the bacon to the sauce.
- Add the pasta to the sauce, mix and check for seasoning.
- Add more pasta water if the sauce is too thick.

These tarts are extremely easy to make using store-bought puff pastry. You just need to remember to defrost it overnight or during the day. For me, it's the most difficult part of the recipe - remembering to take out the pastry out of the freezer. This dish is perfect for left over tomatoes and cheese.

recipe adapted from Fresh by Anna Olson

When I saw this recipe, I immediatly knew that I had to make them. They were called "brownie chocolate cookies" and I expected them to be soft and chewie. I suspect that I rolled them too thin because they weren't even remotely close to anything brownie-like, but they were really good. Especially the next day when all the flavours melded together and they became intensely chocolatey.

recipe from smittenkitchen

• All-purpose flour - 3 cups
• Sal - 1/2 teaspoon
• Baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Butter, room temperature - 2 sticks (1 cup)
• Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
• Eggs, large - 2
• Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
• Unsweetened cocoa - 2/3 cup

- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
- In a bowl, whick flour, salt and baking powder.
- Using a mixer, in another bowl, mix together butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and cocoa powder.
- Gradually add flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until smooth.
- Wrap in plastc and chill for at least one hour.
- Roll out cookie dough on floured surface.
- Cut into desired shapes, brushing extra flour off the top.
- Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 8 to 11 minutes  until edges are firn ad centres are still slightly soft.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

I was a little sceptical tryin out this recipe for the first time. I don't really trust chocolate recipes that do not call for chocolate and I wasn't sure if cocoa powder would give the cakes that rich chocolate taste. But this recipe rocks! It's one of the once that make over and over agan and I don't get tired of it. And a good thing is that you can make these a night before the event, since they are much better the next day. Somehow, the chocolate taste intensifies after a few hours.

recipe adapted from martha stewart

for 12-15 cupcakes

• Unsweetened cocoa powder - 3/4 cup
• All-purpose flour - 3/4 cup
• Baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon
• Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
• Butter, room temperature - 140 g (10 tablespoons)
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Eggs, large - 3
• Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
• Sour cream - 1/2 cup

- Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
- Line the muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla.
- Reduce speed to low.
- Add flour mixture alternating with sour cream, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
- Pour the batter into the muffin pans.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean

I love making breads. It's something about the magic of combining just a few simple ingredients such as flour, yeast, suger and water and making something tasty, chewey, light, crusty, soft, airy, etc, etc, etc. The magic of rising dough amazes me every single time. How it rises in a few hours, how it becomes alive, how it feels under my hands. This recipe is really good. The resulting panetonne has a very nice crumb and texture. It's flavourful and full of tasty fruity goodness.

recipe adapted from The Essential Christmas Cookbook

• Sultanas and/or other type of raisins - 1/2 cup
• Dried apricots, chopped in raisin size pieces - 1/2 cup
• Brandy or rum - 1 tablespoon
• Dried yeast - 7 g
• Warm milk - 220 ml
• Sugar - 1/4 cup
• White bread flour - 3 1/4 cup
• Eggs - 2
• Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon
• Butter, room temperature - 150 g
• Butter, melted, to glaze - 20 g

I like soups. I like lentinls. And I love lentil soups. This recipe is a staple in my kitchen. It needs only a handful of ingredients that are usually in my pantry and just a few minutes to make. The result is delicious, refreshing, healthy, and tasty Lemon Lentil Soup.

recipe adapted from carina-forum

for 4 portions

• Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
• Garlic, crushed or chopped - 2-3 cloves
• Red lentils - 1 cup
• Stock - 5 cups
• Lemon juice and zest - 1 lemon (or less to taste)
• Salt, pepper to taste

- In a medium pot heat the oil on medium heat, add garlic and saute for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly so that garlic doesn't burn.
- Add lentils and saute for a minute.
- Add stock, bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes until lentils are cooked through. If simmered a little longer, the soup will be of almost puree consistency.
- Add lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper to taste.

Salmon caviar is very popular in Russian culture. It's mostly eaten on a white toast, but also used as a filling for crepes. And that's the only way I used to eat it, but then I thought that there surely is another way and I was right. This pasta is really good with creamy caviar dill sauce and tender scallops.

recipe adapted from carina-forum

for 2 portions

• Spaghetti - 200 g
• Scallops - 8
• Butter - 20 g
• Cream - 100 ml
• Salmon caviar - 100 g
• Dill, chopped - 3 tablespoons
• Pasta water
• salt, pepper

- Cook the spaghetti al dente.
- While the spaghetti is cooking, in a large skillet melt the butter/
- Add the scallops and fry for 2-3 minutes until they are nicely caramelized and cooked.
- Add cream, dill and caviar to the pan (leaving a little for garnish).
- Drain the spaghetti reserving a little bit of pasta water.
- Add pasta to the pan with the sauce, thin with reserved pasta water if neccesary.
- Season to taste.
- Serve with the rest of the caviar as garnish.

If you don't have a grill and a backyard, it doesn't mean that you cannot enjoy a real steak at home. Follow these simple instructions and you'll have a perfect steak every time. It will save you money and frustration of ordering steak at restaurants. I used to love to go out for steak, but it cost a lot. Now I never order steak out because I know that my home version is so much better.

recipe for success

• Steaks (filet mignon, rib eye, etc) - minumum 1 and a half inch thick
• Favourite spices - I use Montreal Steak Seasoning
• Olive oil
• Butter (optional)
• Cast iron skillet

- Liberally oil the steaks and season them with your favourite spices. Let them stand at room temperature for about 30-45 minutes.