Norway Spruce

My Sister's Quilt

Can I snuggle up under your quilt on your sofa? ...i didn't think so 😬😬😬

Baltimore Lemon Sticks

Lemon sticks were popular in London in the 18th century. In this country, both Baltimore and Philadelphia lay claim to the sweet. (The Philly version uses lemon candy, and during Prohibition, it naughtily added vodka.)

MAKES 1 LEMON STICK

Ingredients

1 chilled lemon

1 peppermint stick (a porous stick, not a candy cane)

Instructions 

To make the lemon stick, roll a chilled lemon on a table to soften the pulp, then halve it crosswise. Insert the peppermint and suck, drawing the cool, tart juice through your minty, sugary straw.

Birthday Breakfast: Ricotta Pancakes With Blueberry Agrodolce Pancake Syrup

I’ve had this recipe from Cuisine At Home (Issue 115 February 2016) for quite awhile and decided it was time to give it a try for my special birthday breakfast today. 

We spent some time this morning picking wild raspberries and had them along side this amazing breakfast. 

I love to be in the kitchen, cooking and trying new recipes, and this one is unbelievably good. 

Sometimes I make something that’s so good, I can’t believe I actually made it myself. This recipe was simple, yet fancy. We pictured ourselves at a highend resort somewhere in Switzerland having breakfast on our balcony. 

The pancake recipe says it serves 6 and makes 12 pancakes. We actually made 11 pancakes, and between the two of us, we ate every-single-one-of-them (the pancakes were kind of small😋). What an amazing way to start the day ❤️

Blueberry Agrodolce Pancake Syrup

Makes about 1 3/4 cups
Total time: 20 minutes

Heat:
2 cups frozen blueberries
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
2 sprigs of thyme
1 cinnamon stick (3-inch)
Heat in a sauce pan over medium-high to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until syrup begins to thicken, 7-9 minutes.

Remove pan off heat, stir in
2 Tbsp. Unsalted butter
1 Tbsp white wine or Champagne vinegar
When butter melts, stir in 1/2 cup thawed blueberries and 1/4 tsp. Table salt

Serve syrup over pancakes

Ricotta Pancakes

Makes: 6 servings (12 pancakes) Total time: 30 minutes

WHISK:
3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1⁄2 tsp. table salt

WHISK:
1 cup Homemade Ricotta Cheese or purchased whole milk ricotta
1⁄2 cup whole milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 eggs, separated
1⁄2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Minced zest of half a lemon

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl, then form a well in the center.

Whisk together ricotta, milk, sugar, butter, egg yolks, vanilla, and zest in a large measuring cup; pour into dry ingredients, stirring just until incorporated.

Whip egg whites with a hand mixer on high speed until firm peaks form, 2–3 minutes.
Stir one third of egg whites into the batter; fold in remaining whites in two additions.

Heat an electric griddle to 375° or a nonstick skillet over medium; coat with nonstick spray. Drop half the batter, by a scant ¼ cup per pancake, onto griddle; cook until bubbles appear on tops and bottoms brown, 4 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until bottoms brown, 3 minutes more. Repeat with remaining batter.