Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Sauteed Apples

I cooked these up for a special birthday breakfast this morning along with some sweet and spicy bacon. They are pure lemony goodness! I had to double this recipe to make 10 pancakes for the 5 of us.

For the sautéed apples
4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
fresh lemon juice to taste

For the pancakes
4 large eggs, separated
1 1/3 cups ricotta
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
melted butter for brushing the griddle

maple syrup as an accompaniment

Prepare the sautéed apples: In a large heavy skillet sauté the apples in the butter over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until they are softened, sprinkle them with the sugar and the cinnamon, and cook them over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they are tender. Stir in the lemon juice and keep the mixture warm.

Make the pancakes: In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks, the ricotta, the sugar, and the zest, add the flour, and stir the mixture until it is just combined. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold stiff peaks, whisk about one fourth of them into the ricotta mixture, and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Heat a griddle over moderately high heat until it is hot enough to make drops of water scatter over its surface and brush it with some of the melted butter. Working in batches, pour the batter onto the griddle by 1/4-cup measures and cook the pancakes for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, brushing the griddle with some of the melted butter as necessary. Transfer the pancakes as they are cooked to a heatproof platter and keep them warm in a preheated 200°F. oven.

Serve the pancakes with the sautéed apples and the maple syrup.

Sweet and Spicy Bacon

This bacon has a good spicy kick and the brown sugar caramelizes to make it nice and crunchy!

1 1/2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb thick-cut bacon (12 slices)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Stir together brown sugar, cayenne, and black pepper in a small bowl.

Arrange bacon slices in l layer on a large broiler pan and bake in middle of oven (or upper third of oven if baking with eggs) 20 minutes. Turn slices over and sprinkle evenly with spiced sugar. Continue baking until bacon is crisp and brown, 15 to 20 minutes more, then transfer to paper towels to drain.

Cinnamon sugar scones

These are amazing, serve warm with butter and jam!

3 2/3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
4 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/4 cup dried currants, raisins or cranberries (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.  Place the flour, salt, baking soda and 2 tbsp of sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Stir in the dried fruit (optional).  Beat together the egg and buttermilk in a small bowl.  Make a well in the middle of the flour mixure and add the egg/buttermilk mixture to the middle.  Slowly incorporate the wet ingredients into the flour mixture stirring slowly until completely incorporated.  The dough should be pretty wet and sticky. 

Combine the cinnamon and remaining 2 tbsp of sugar in a small bowl.  Make dollops of the dough and roll them in the cinnamon mixture.  Place each dollop of dough onto an ungreased baking sheet (about 1" apart).  Flatten the dollops to a thickness of 1 1/2".  Bake the scones for 15 minutes, if they are deep golden brown on top, turn down the oven to 400 degrees F for the remainder of the time.

Carrot muffins with orange cream cheese

These muffins are absolutely awesome! Serve them warm with a dollop of the orange cream cheese. yummm.  They are the perfect sidekick to a good cup of coffee or tea.

Muffins
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups shredded carrots

1 cup dried currants

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

 

Topping

4 ounces cream cheese

1 tablespoon orange zest

Click to see savings

 

Preheat oven to 375°. Put sugar, butter, carrots, currants, salt, spices, and 1 1/3 cups water in a medium saucepan. Heat over high heat, stirring occasionally, just until mixture comes to a boil.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Pour in warm carrot mixture. Stir to combine, but do not overmix. Spoon mixture into greased muffin cups.

Bake until browned and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a rack.

Blend cream cheese with zest and serve with muffins.

Sour cream streusel coffee cake

This coffee cake is great served warm with a giant cup of coffee in the morning!  I make it when I have houseguests.  The smell of warm cinnamon and brown sugar in the morning is always welcoming.
 
Nut mixture:
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

1 1/4 cups (packed) golden brown sugar

4 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

4 1/2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

6 tablespoons dried currants

Cake:

3 cups cake flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1.5 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 16-oz container sour cream

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon milk

  

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease the Bundt pan. Mix the nut mixture ingredients in small bowl. Set nut mixture aside. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar in large bowl until blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and sour cream alternately into butter mixture in 3 additions. Beat batter on high for 1 minute.

Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of nut mixture. Spoon last half of batter over. Sprinkle with remaining nut mixture.

Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto a plate and cool for an hour.

Whisk powdered sugar and milk in small bowl until smooth. Drizzle over coffee cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

These muffins are perfect for a tasty breakfast treat.  Warm one up with a pat of butter... YUM!  This recipe really only makes about 6 muffins so I doubled it to make a dozen.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/3 cup sugar 

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 large egg

1/3 cup milk

Preparation:
In a small bowl stir together sugar and cinnamon. Preheat oven to 375°F. and butter six 1/3-cup muffin cups.

Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until combined well. Beat in flour mixture and add milk, beating until mixture is just combined. Divide batter evenly among cups and sprinkle with topping. Bake muffins in middle of oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Remove muffins from cups and cool on a rack. Muffins keep in an airtight container 2 days.

Egg and Proscuitto Pie

I made this for Easter brunch yesterday.  It easily fed 7 people with leftovers to spare and it seemed to please everyone's taste.  I love how the eggs cook whole on top of the proscuitto, potatoes and onions, all fitting comfy inside of a buttery puff pastry.    I found this recipe on Epicurious.

Ingredients:

1 (1-pound) package frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

4 to 5 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

1 large boiling potato (10 to 12 ounces)

12 large eggs

Put a baking sheet in middle of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.

If dough is in 1 piece, cut in half. Roll out each piece into a 12-inch square on a lightly floured surface. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with 1 piece of dough, draping it slightly over sides.

Stir together onions, oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and spread in an even layer over dough. Top with prosciutto. Peel potato and thinly slice (about 1/8 inch thick), then arrange in one layer over prosciutto, overlapping slightly. Crack eggs on top of potatoes, gently arranging yolks so they don't touch one another.

Season eggs with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

Cut several slits in remaining pastry square and lay over top of pie, then crimp edge and trim.

Bake until pastry is golden brown and puffed, 50 to 60 minutes.