Breakfast for Dinner

I love having breakfast food for dinner; sometimes it just hits the spot!  When I saw this pancake recipe from Williams-Sonoma I thought it would be the prefect meal to do that with.  Who doesn't like creamy pancakes served with berries and powdered sugar?  No matter what time of day or night you eat these, they will be delicious.  

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F, to keep the finished pancakes in while you cook the rest of the batter.  Place ricotta cheese in a large bowl, and add milk, egg yolks, and sugar.  Whisk to combine.  I used skim ricotta cheese, but you can use regular as well.

Add the flour, lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.  Fold until well blended.

In a medium bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar.  Using a whisk or a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat until soft peaks form.  I made these at C's house and forgot my mixer, so this was quite an arm work out.  Still no one has noticed and asked me if I've been hitting the weights... maybe next time.  Fold the whites into the ricotta mixture with a rubber spatula until just blended.

The recipe calls for four cups of mixed berries.  I cut the servings in half which made around seven pancakes, and used fresh strawberries and blueberries.  Combine the berries and lemon juice.  Stir gently to blend and set aside.

On a griddle or frying pan over medium heat brush the surface with a thin layer of oil.  Ladle around 1/3 cup of batter onto the hot surface.  Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until small bubbles appear around the edges.

Carefully flip and cook until the other side is slightly browned.  These are a little harder to flip than normal pancakes because they don't have as much flour to keep everything together.  Also be careful not to burn them, because of the ricotta cheese they burn faster than normal.  Transfer to an oven proof platter and place in the oven to keep warm, don't cover!  Repeat until all your batter has been used.

Just before serving dust with confectioners sugar and serve with a large scoop of mixed berries.  These were so delicious.  The lemon zest and ricotta cheese mixed with the berries tasted great.  They're light, but you're filled up after eating them.  I served with a couple slices of bacon, and ate it up!  

Enjoy :)

Ricotta Lemon Pancakes

Adapted from: Williams-Sonoma, Essentials of Healthful Cooking

1 cup part skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup milk *I used skim

3 large eggs, separated

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch of cream of tartar

4 cups mixed berries

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Place ricotta in a large bowl, add milk, egg yolks and sugar; whisk to combine.

Add the flour, lemon zest, and a little salt; fold until blended.

In a separate bowl, combine the egg whites and cream of tartar. 

Using a whisk or mixer beat until soft peaks form.

Using a spatula, fold the whites into the ricotta mixture until just blended.

In a medium bowl, combine the berries and lemon juice and set aside.

On a griddle or frying pan heat over medium heat.  

Brush the surface with a thin layer of oil.

Ladle around 1/3 cup of batter onto the hot surface, and reduce heat to medium low.

Cook until bubbles appear around the edges, around 4-5 minutes.

Carefully flip and cook the other side until brown.

Transfer to oven platter and place in the oven to keep warm. *Don't cover, otherwise the pancakes will get soggy

Repeat until all the batter has been cooked.

Just before serving dust with powered sugar and a large spoonful of berries.

Lemon Glazed Cookies

Until I had these cookies I wasn't a big fan of lemon flavored desserts.  Lemons are for drinks in my opinion, not cookies, pies, or cakes.  I've been proven wrong after tasting these though.  I saw this recipe and thought they looked pretty tasty, and figured if I didn't like them I could just bring them into work.  Let me just say, it was hard to share these babies. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray with non-stick or line with parchment paper, two baking sheets and set aside.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.  Whisk together and set aside.  In a small bowl add sugar and lemon zest.

Rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers, until fragrant.

Beat butter into sugar/lemon mixture until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla until smooth.

Slowly beat in flour mixture on low speed until blended. 

There won't be a ton of dough, and it will be just a little sticky.

Roll dough in 1/2 inch balls and place on prepared baking sheets.  Gently flatten dough with the palm of your hand.  Bake for around 12 minutes or until cookies are just set and slightly golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for a couple minutes, then transfer to cool rack.  Cool completely.  

For the frosting whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl.  You can either dip the top of each cookie into the frosting or use a knife to spread it on top.  I found a knife to be easier, and allowed me to make them look prettier too :)  Let cookies sit until icing has set, it will begin to harden.

They're the perfect size and taste moist and crisp.  The icing really makes the cookies, a little goes a long way, and just adds a little extra lemon flavor.  I did get over it, and bring these into work and everyone loved them.  They're a great little splurge too, because they're really only 2-3 bites! 

What's everyone doing this weekend, have anything fun planned?  I have a couple things going on, but my main goal is to get back on track with errands and laundry.  Hopefully I'll find some motivation, if you have any extra send it my way.  Have a great weekend everyone, see you back here Monday!

Lemon Glazed Cookies

Adapted from: Two Peas and Their Pod

Makes ~3 dozen cookies

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons lemon zest

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

4-5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or spray with non-stick.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl; whisk and set aside.

In a small bowl, add sugar and lemon zest.

Rub them together with your fingers until mixed well and fragrant.

Beat butter into the sugar/lemon mixture until light and fluffy.

Beat in egg and the vanilla until smooth.

Slowly beat in the flour mixture, until blended.

Roll dough into 1/2 balls and place on prepared baking sheets.

Gently flatten with the palm of your hand.

Bake for around 12 minutes, until cookies are just set.

Cool on the baking sheet for a couple minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.

For the glaze:

In a medium bowl combine powdered sugar and lemon juice.

Once cookies are cooled completely drip the top of the cookie in the glaze, or spread on top with a knife.

Enjoy! 

Caramelized Scallops

I began really enjoying scallops when I worked in a very nice restaurant in college and they had them on the menu.  They were served with a asparagus risotto that was to die for!  I realize now that I was a bit spoiled.  Not all scallops taste that good, some are grainy, and you just never really know what you're going to get.  I picked these up from Central Market and was very pleased with them.  They tasted smooth and were very large.  I thought this recipe would be a perfect introduction to cooking scallops for me and I was right, it's pretty simple and doesn't take a lot of prep.

Heat butter on medium high in a large pan.  I love this picture, looks like the butter is running away from me, or from the heat maybe?

Wash and pat the scallops dry.  I had around six scallops, and that was plenty for two people.  The recipe makes 12, so I cut everything in half.  I was nervous three each wouldn't fill us up, but with the brown rice it was perfect.

Season both sides of the scallops with salt and pepper.  Spread sugar on a plate and dip one side of each scallop in the sugar before placing it in the heated pan.

Before you start cooking the scallops make sure you zest and squeeze the juice out of one lemon and have that ready to put into the pan.

Also chop one tablespoon of parsley.  Set aside.

Cook 2-3 minutes on each side.

Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until scallops are nicely seared.

Add the wine and lemon juice.  Reduce the sauce by half.

Serve scallops topped with pan sauce, lemon zest, and parsley.  I served over brown rice, and thought the wine and lemon reduction tasted awesome as the sauce.  Like I said, this is a very simple dish to make and it the outcome looks and tastes amazing.  C doesn't really like scallops but did say this was one of the best he's tasted, so I was pretty proud of that!  They taste a little sweet because of the sugar, and one side of the scallop caramelizes which creates some texture as you eat them.  Enjoy!

Caramelized Scallops

Adapted from The Foodie Bride

Serves 12 *I cut in half

12 large scallops

pinch of kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

4 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup white wine

1 lemon, zested and squeezed

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Heat butter over medium heat in a large pan.

Pat scallops dry, and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Spread sugar on a plate and dip one side of each scallop into the sugar.

Place in the saute pan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until nicely seared.

Add the wine and lemon juice and reduce by half.

Serve topped with pan sauce, lemon zest and parsley.

Lemon Blueberry Scones

This was a first for me.  I've never made scones, nor would I consider myself a fan of scones.  If I'm going to get something for breakfast it's usually a muffin, pancakes, eggs, or lately mainly French toast.  I saw this recipe from Dorie Greenspan and thought it sounded delicious. So, I gave it a go, and figured the worst that could happen is I try them and throw them out.. or pick the blueberries out and eat those!  I was pleasantly surprised.  When I think of scones I think of a hard dough, and these were soft and fluffy.  The lemon and blueberry flavors together are awesome.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  Beat egg, buttermilk and lemon zest together and set aside.  In a separate bowl beat one egg with one teaspoon of water and set aside for egg wash.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together.  Add butter and using a fork, or your fingers (which is what I did) cut into the flour until you have a pebbly mixture the size of peas.

Pour egg and cream into the flour mixture and stir to combine with a spatula.   

Very gently fold the blueberries into the dough, be careful not to crush them.  This proved the hardest part of the recipe for me.  As I've said before I'm very messy and usually don't take my time, so not getting blueberries everywhere was a little tough.  Be patient and gentle and you should be fine.  

When the mixture is totally incorporated, pat the dough onto a floured surface until it's around one inch thick.  Using a biscuit butter, or in my case a pizza cutter (gotta make do with what you have!) cut out circles, or into slices.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash, then sprinkle with sugar.  Bake for 15-18 minutes, until nicely browned.  Serve immediately.  Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

I served them warm with a fruit salad.  It was a very beautifully colored plate, as you can see!  I really enjoyed the scones and will be trying some different things with the recipe.  The fruit in them gave them extra flavor and really sparked me to think of the many ways I could make these.. more to come on that :)  Enjoy!

Lemon Blueberry Scones

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan

2 eggs

1 teaspoon water

2/3 cup buttermilk

2 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

zest of two large lemons

1/2 pint fresh blueberries

5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Beat one egg with one teaspoon of water for the egg wash, set aside.

Beat buttermilk, one egg and lemon zest together and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. 

Add the butter and using a fork or your hands cut the butter into the flour until you have a pebbly mixture.

Pour the egg and cream mixture into the flour and stir to combine.

Very gently fold in the blueberries.

When totally combined roll dough out on a floured surface until around one inch thick.

Using a biscuit cutter cut our circles.  You can also cut out triangles (like I did) or squares.

Brush tops of the scones with egg wash, then sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 15-18 minutes until nicely browned.