For the love of pancakes.

Another fun guest post on Plant.Eat.Create - those ladies never cease to inspire me!  This one focuses on our latest endeavor...introducing foods.  While none of the recipes highlighted in that post are appropriate for Charlie (they are more toddler focused), I realize how close we are to the good stuff.  And speaking of the "good stuff", Charlie wants nothing to do with baby food despite my homemade efforts.  He wants what is on our plates.  This little guy has skipped a few steps, but I think he's on the right track.  

Here is a new staple recipe that we've adopted - and as of this morning, Charlie has too!  Welcome to the world of pancakes Charlie!  Your preference for pancakes over baby food must have something to do with our weekly pumpkin pancake breakfast at Coughlins for the nine months you were cooking. 

 Pumpkin Ricotta Pancakes (a great protein packed breakfast!)

1 ¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 hefty pinch of nutmeg

1 pinch cardamom
¼ teaspoon powdered ginger
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk (or regular milk plus some heavy cream)
½ cup fresh ricotta
¾ cup canned pumpkin puree
4 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Whisk the dry ingredients in large bowl to blend. Whisk milk, pumpkin, egg yolks, melted butter and vanilla in medium bowl to blend well. Add pumpkin mixture to dry ingredients; whisk just until smooth (batter will be thick). Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in another medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into batter in 2 additions. Grease a large non-stick skillet and place over medium heat. Working in batches, pour batter by 1/3 cupfuls into skillet. Cook until bubbles form on surface of pancakes and bottoms are brown, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing the skillet between batches.

To make the night before - prep all ingredients, leaving out the egg whites.  Fold in the egg whites in the morning and cook 'em up!

The pancake queen.  Or princess of all things "cake".