lemon blueberry ricotta pancakes

Lemon Blueberry Ricotta PancakesAll my life I have used ricotta cheese for lasagna and stuffed shells. And all my life I have thrown out extra ricotta that went bad because quite frankly I did not know how else to use it. Shame on me. I could have been making out of this freaking universe pancakes the entire time. The amount of ricotta I have disrespected makes feel so bad.

Never again ricotta. Never. Again.

Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes3 days ago if you would have asked me what my favorite kind of pancakes were I would have said hands down buttermilk. And while I will always love them, they now have some serious competition.

These pancakes are so puffy. The kind of puffy that doesn’t go away after they are cooked. Every single bite is filled with a perfect, fluffy, lemony texture that basically sends your taste buds into dream world. And when you get a bite with a berry in it….just forget about it, you are officially in pancake heaven and are not to be disturbed until further notice.

[Jettie back at the assistant job below. I asked her if she could pour syrup on top for me and she basically sprinted to the task. Who wouldn’t, right?]

Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes Lemon Blueberry Ricotta PancakesCocktails are my favorite food items to photograph….well, they were. Now I want to shoot stacks of pancakes all day long.

Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes Lemon Blueberry Ricotta PancakesThere could not be a better time to try these gems then this upcoming Easter weekend! Good news is they are so incredibly easy to make and even more incredibly delicious. You and your guests will be in pancake land together… add mimosa sangria and you’ve got yourself the perfect brunch.

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

lemon blueberry ricotta pancakes
 
Prep time
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Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1½cups all purpose flour
  • 2tsp baking powder
  • ½tsp baking soda
  • ¼tsp kosher salt
  • ¼cup granulated sugar
  • 1cup ricotta cheese (whole or part skim)
  • ¾cup milk (I used almond)
  • 2 large eggs lightly whisked
  • zest of one lemon
  • juice of one lemon
  • ¼tsp vanilla
  • ¾cup fresh blueberries
  • butter for griddle or pan
  • syrup and more blueberries for serving
Instructions
  1. Place flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar in a large bowl and whisk together.
  2. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add ricotta, milk, egg, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla. Stir with a rubber spatula very carefully until just incorporated. You do not want to over mix here. Add the blueberries and ever so gently fold in.
  3. Heat a griddle or pan over medium heat. Add a pat of butter and let it melt all over surface. In about ¼cup portions (I use a large ice cream scoop) drop the batter onto the pan. Spread just a little, but not too much. Once bubbles begin to form on the top of pancake flip and cook for another minute or so. Serve warm with syrup and/or blueberries.

Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes
Posted in breakfast, brunch, Easter, holidays, recipes, something sweet | Tagged | 1 Comment

flower lip gloss and lip tint review

A couple of month’s ago my friend Jordanne mentioned loving the Flower blush. I had not yet tried Drew Barrymore’s economic line at Wal-mart but getting a green light from a trusted makeup lover I knew I had to. My intention was the blush but for whatever reason the mood wasn’t right and I went with lips instead:

Flower Lip Gloss & Tint ReviewFirst up the Flower Shine On Lip Gloss in Baby’s Breath.

LOVE it! I can’t believe how much I love it. Goes on nicely, doesn’t dry out my lips and stays put pretty decently. [It is under $7 so I do give it a little wiggle room.] It does have a slight floral scent but not offensive, and I am very sensitive to those things so that’s saying something. If I had to nit-pick it would be that in order to get to the gloss you have to remove a sticker that leaves a sticky residue. But again, that’s being getting picky… I would buy again for sure.

The Baby’s Breath color is definitely a nude with a hint of pink. It’s beautiful and something I can see working on most skin tones.

flower_2Next up the Flower Sheer Up Lip Tint in Dewey Rose.

First off the color looks nothing like the online product shot. It is a bright red with a teeny tiny bit of orange. “Tint” may be a loose description of this particular color. It definitely goes on brighter than I thought it would. I do like it though. Doesn’t stay on all that great, but a bit of powder on top helps that out quite substantially.

While I do like the tint I have to admit I like the gloss better. I am however not opposed to trying a different shade of the tint, I want to be a red lip girl but I am just not sure it’s in me.

Every try the Flower brand? Share your experience with us!

xo,

brandyjsig

Posted in beauty, beauty product review | Tagged | Leave a comment

mimosa sangria

Mimosa SangriaIf there is such a thing as “having too much of a good thing” it does not apply to this cocktail. Mimosas are why brunch exists. Sangria is why long afternoons exist. Together they are a dream come true. The only problem is every glass goes down way too easy. [You may want to pace yourself in front of Grandma at Easter brunch.]

Mimosa SangriaLike most sangria you can use whatever fruit you have on hand. I do however feel the blueberries pair wonderfully here with the orange juice, schnapps and champagne. Raspberries, blackberries and strawberries would be lovely as well. Basically if it’s a berry you are on the right track.

And before I forget, this is crazy easy to make. Just be sure to leave enough time for the berries to party with the juice and schnapps. [4 hours at least.]

Mimosa Sangria Mimosa SangriaI feel sort of cruel posting these images because seriously, how can this not be good? The thing is – it is not good… it’s AMAZING. It’s like 2 of the best pitcher drinks got married and had themselves a prodigy child and now all other pitcher drinks will pale in comparison. If it weren’t for the fact that this drink packs a punch I would finish the whole pitcher. [Disclaimer: stick to ONE glass, just make sure it’s a big one.]

Mimosa SangriaIf you are in charge of the Easter brunch cocktail this is what you are bringing. You will be everyone’s favorite relative…unless you run out. Better make a double triple batch.

Cheers!

brandyjsig

 

5.0 from 1 reviews
mimosa sangria
 
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Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 1cup fresh blueberries
  • 1½cups orange juice
  • 1cup peach schnapps
  • 1 bottle champagne
Instructions
  1. Place the blueberries, orange juice and schnapps in a large pitcher and allow to chill overnight (or at least 4 hours).
  2. While stirring, pour the entire bottle of champagne in the pitcher. The bubbles will flatten over time. Fill your glasses with ice and pour sangria on top allowing the blueberries to fall in glasses. Cheers!

Mimosa Sangria
Posted in brunch, cheers!, Easter, holidays, recipes | Tagged | 8 Comments

smashed chickpea & avocado salad

Smashed Chickpea Avocado SaladIf you love light salad sandwiches this recipe is totally up your alley! I’ve been making this yummy healthy salad for a couple of months now…the taste varies depending on what I have on hand but honestly, there has never been a disappointing version.

Chickpeas and avocados are staples in our home and clearly the stars here. Take a little citrus, herb, spice and seasoning and those simple ingredients are transformed into a creamy, healthy and most importantly scrumptious dish.

Smashed Chickpea Avocado SaladThere’s one tweensie weensie step in the recipe you may find less than enthusiastic to perform – the removing of the chickpea skin. You could skip it in a pinch but the texture will not be nearly as light and creamy. The taste however will stay intact. [And when in a hurry taste trumps texture, almost always.]

Smashed Chickpea Avocado Salad Smashed Chickpea Avocado SaladNot only does this salad taste wonderful but it’s healthy and filling. Let’s not forget that it’s vegetarian too! A must add recipe to your lunch roster in my humble opinion.

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

smashed chickpea & avocado salad
 
Prep time
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Author:
Serves: 2
Ingredients
  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 avocado
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Pinch of red pepper flake
  • ¼tsp ground cumin
  • Handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
  • Sea salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Place chickpeas on a paper towel and pop each one out it's "skin". Discard skin and place chickpeas in a medium size bowl. This step can seem tedious but it's worth it for the creaminess/texture factor.
  2. Cut the avocado inhal lengthwise and remove pit. Scoop the flesh out and place in bowl with chickpeas. Add sea salt and lemon juice and smash the ingredients together with a fork or potato masher.
  3. Add the red pepper flake, cumin and parsley. Combine and add salt and pepper to taste. Eat on toasted bread, in a pita, wrap or alone.
Notes
Feel free to swap out the lemon for lime and parsley for cilantro. Also yummy with onion or scallions!

Smashed Chickpea Avocado Salad

 

Posted in healthy eats, recipes, vegetarian | Tagged | 1 Comment

raspberry lemonade scones

Raspberry Lemonade SconesSometimes you mix ingredients together and the outcome is exactly what you imagined. Other times you make 3 batches of scones and cry over all the butter and raspberries that end up in the garbage disposal.

Had my man not bought me the giant container of raspberries we would no be looking at these delightful scones. (Had I not caught him eating the just enough raspberries I had left for a last scone attempt…well, I’ll put put it this way, the man still has his fingers.)

My first attempt I thought I would get cute and use San Pellegrino for the lemonade flavor. I have never baked with carbonation like that before. It was a complete disaster. The second go around I have no idea what happened. My best guess is I completely got a measurement wrong. The last one though, it was exactly what I was hoping for. Light, yet crispy on the edge scones filled with juicy raspberries and brought alive with the zing of lemon. These are iced coffee ready people.

Raspberry Lemonade SconesAt first I thought the scones were kind of ugly but then I drizzled the glaze on them and they got all cute. Wish that’s all it took for us human folk. Can you imagine? Wake up. Drizzle. Done.

Raspberry Lemonade SconesOne thing that was extremely important to me is that these did not taste like raspberry with lemon scones…I wanted that lemonade flavor there. In doing this, I 86’d any vanilla I would typically use, and added more zest. But the true lemonade flavor comes from the glaze. It’s a thick, creamy lemon shake-up dream glaze. Placed on top of that raspberry scone sends it into a whole other world of goodness.

Raspberry Lemonade Scones Raspberry Lemonade SconesBright flavors are my thing right now, as they should being that we are more than halfway through March. Get ready for more lemon guys, and raspberries but I pretty much obsess other those year round.

Enjoy!

brandyjsig

 

raspberry lemonade scones
 
Prep time
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Total time
 
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 stick of unsalted butter frozen
  • ⅓cup granulated sugar
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • 2cups all purpose flour
  • 1½tsp baking powder
  • ¼tsp kosher salt
  • 1 large egg
  • ½cup greek or plain yogurt (do not use fat free)
  • 2tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • ⅔cup fresh raspberries
  • for the glaze:
  • ⅓cup powdered sugar
  • 1tbsp lemon juice (more for adjusting)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Grate the frozen butter on a large grate and place in small bowl back in freezer until ready to use.
  3. Place the sugar and lemon zest in a medium bowl and rub together with fingers. Add flour, baking powder and kosher salt and whisk together.
  4. In another medium bowl whisk together egg, yogurt, lemon juice and grated butter until well blended. Add to dry mixture and gently combine with a spatula until just incorporated it. It should have an almost fall apart, crumbly look to it. You want to stop mixing before all the flour disappears. Very important not to over mix.
  5. Add the raspberries and very gently fold them in. They can easily break but don't worry if they do. Just be as gentle as possible.
  6. Dump the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and form into a 7" to 8" disk. If dough is too sticky add a little flour to your hands. Not too much as this can make the scones tough. Cut the disk into 8 wedges and arrange evenly on baking sheet.
  7. Bake to 12 to 15 minutes our until scones begin to turn golden. Allow to cool on sheet completely.
  8. While scones are baking, make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar and lemon juice. You want it to be a consistency where if you pull up a fork and drizzle the drizzle stays for a bit before disappearing into the remaining glaze in bowl. Add more powdered sugar if too thin, more juice if too thick.
  9. Once scones are cool drizzle the glaze on top and devour. Best ate day of but can keep in airtight contain for up to 2 days.
Raspberry Lemonade Scones
Posted in breakfast, brunch, recipes, something sweet | Tagged | Leave a comment