Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes

Good news: I moved! Which means I have a real kitchen which means I can cook and bake and have my kitchen things in my very own kitchen rather than a box. I haven't ever had so much cupboard and counter space or a gas stove/oven. And a dishwasher. And a fridge that spits ice at you when you press the button. It's all quite exciting.

Blueberry-Cornmeal Pancakes

Pancakes, a simple meal, and one most people like. There is just one problem in my mind with a standard pancake - they tend to get soggy. Solution: add cornmeal! If you have never had a cornmeal pancake don't be worried, they aren't grainy or too "mealy" (if that is a word). Now, they do have a slightly different textue than a standard pancake, but in my mind it is a welcome change. They have a slightly heartier texture, but this helps them to not get overly soggy under your mass of butter and syrup. And the amazing part is that there is only 2 tablespoons of cornmeal in the recipe!

Blini (Russian Pancakes)

Happy Pancake Week, one week late! Thanks to my Russian class, we're going to celebrate a bit of Russian culture today. Last week is known as "Maslenitsa" in Russia. It literally means "butter week," but is commonly called "pancake week." Celebrated the week before Lent (and corresponding with Carnival/Mardi Gras), Maslenitsa, is my favorite type of holiday: pagan meets Christian. And you know a holiday has to be good when it features a week of pancake eating, right?

The Christian side of Maslenitsa is this: during Lent, Orthodox Christians generally abstain from eating meat, fish, dairy, and eggs. They are also "forbidden" from attending parties, listening to wild music, etc. So like Carnival, Maslenitsa gives people a chance to stuff themselves full of the forbidden foods while having a rousing good time. On the pagan side, Maslenitsa is a sun festival (pancakes = the sun), begging the winter to leave and spring to commence (but remember, this is Russia we're talking about...)

Buttermilk Pancakes with Blueberries

To my great delight, it's finally blueberry season! If you're not taking advantage of the fresh blueberries finally available, you're missing out on some serious deliciousness. And if you happen to get bored with eating blueberries in your cereal, muffins, or as a snack (though I really can't imagine that happening), throw some in these buttermilk pancakes. Or go really wild and make them for dinner one night. I bet your kids will love it.

Grandma Jane's Buttermilk Pancakes with Blueberries*
Recipe by Grandma Jane
Pictures by Kelly

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons oil
2 eggs
1 cup blueberries (optional)

1. In a large bowl, whisk all dry ingredients together.
2. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, oil and egg.
3. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and mix just until combined (the batter will be quite thick).
4. Scoop batter onto a hot, well greased griddle (try about 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake). Sprinkle a few berries onto each pancake before flipping.

*This recipe comes courtesy of my friend Lindsey's dear grandmother. She's famous for this delicious pancake recipe.

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