Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

Ron and I are slowly adjusting into our new roles as parents. Everyone has always said that having a puppy is like having a baby and I'm starting to understand what they mean. I follow Dinah around constantly. When she is sleeping, I have one eye on her at all times. At night, I sleep with one ear open so I can hear if she whimpers (even though there is no need for this; I could be sleeping with Bose headphones on and still hear her when she gets up). Our schedules are so out of whack that I'm running around the kitchen trying to cook a quick meal and make sure that Dinah and Cali don't head to blows. I have a limited time frame to get things accomplished so resumes and cover letters are worked on after breakfast, when Dinah is napping, so I can spend the afternoon teaching her how to be a civilized puppy. Random strangers are offering unsolicited advice about how to parent. We're learning how to re-adjust our furniture to keep items out of her mouth. My workouts are limited. And, I haven't slept more than 2 hours at a time since we got her. We have gates and crates around the house. And yesterday, Dinah climbed her first stair. Ron and I looked at eachother and started whimpering. Dinah's fear of the stairs was our saving grace. Cali could eat upstairs while Dinah ate downstairs. We could sit in the living room and not chase her when she'd go up the stairs. But watching her climb that stair noted that some of our freedom was removed. Is that what it feels like when you watch your baby crawl for the first time? Or take his first step? You are so excited but at the same time, you know what that means. Baby is on the move. And for us, it means that Dinah is on the move.

But we are learning, adjusting, adapting, and growing. And we love being parents. We've had some frustrating moments (last night we had a potty stand-off with her in the front yard for 40 minutes, sadly she won) but after realizing that Dinah has only been a Reed for 5 days, we recognized that we're doing alright for newbies. Dinah is so dang adorable and she loves being praised. It's such a fulfilling feeling when you say "Come" and she comes. Or "Walk" and she walks. We're trying to raise her in as loving of a home as possible. She curls up next to us and lays on our feet. She gives her sister kisses. She is so excited to meet new people and new puppies. She is just a spitball of energy that loves life and it is so nice to be reminded of that innocence and joy. Yesterday, we got caught in a 4 minute hail storm (while it was cloudless and the sun was shining... Seattle weather is so weird) and it was just incredible to watch her chase after the little hail pellets and yip out of confusion and excitement. And I look forward to romping around in the grass with her, watching her sprint around with her tiny ears flopping back, and with this happy expression on her face. She's a treasure.

Even more exciting? I have a new kitchen buddy. Yep, Dinah knows that yummy things - puppy, kitty, and human things - come from the kitchen. So at breakfast and dinner, Dinah and Cali surround me in the kitchen, sit down, and stare at the counter. The other day I walked in to find them sitting hear one another just staring up at the counter. I have to wonder what Cali is teaching her... It hasn't been terrible cooking with Dinah in the room but it is nice to have Ron home to help out at night. The other day, I was craving pancakes - nothing unusual - so I decided to try out a new recipe that I've always wanted to try. These were delicious. They tasted like a light cheesecake and were so fluffy and filling. The recipe is not as terribly un-nutritious as some of the ricotta pancake recipes I've seen out there so I was pleasantly surprised to see that they tasted just as delicious. The blueberry sauce was so quick and easy to mix up. Next time you want a slightly indulgent pancake breakfast, lunch, or dinner, check these out!
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce
from Food Babbles
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 2 cups fresh (or frozen) blueberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups AP flour
• 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta (do not use fat-free)
• 1 large egg
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp canola oil, plus more for brushing griddle or pan

Instructions

1. Make blueberry sauce: in small bowl, combine the lemon juice and cornstarch; set aside. In small saucepan, combine blueberries, 1/4 cup sugar, water, and 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer. Stir in cornstarch/lemon juice mixture. Simmer and stir until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Cover and set aside.
2. For pancakes: whisk together the flour, 3 Tbsp sugar, baking powder, baking sode, and remaining 1/4 tsp salt. In separate bowl, whisk together the ricotta, egg, egg whites, lemon juice, lemon zest, and canola oil. Fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture to make a thick batter.
3. Over a griddle or skillet heated on medium-low, brush canola oil. Measure 1/4 cup of batter and drop it on griddle, spreading it slightly. Cook pancakes until browned on the underside and beginning to set, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the second side and cooked in the center, about 2 minutes longer. Repeat until batter is used. (Keep pancakes in oven preheated at 200 degrees to keep warm in the meantime.) Serve with blueberry sauce and enjoy!