lemon ricotta pancakes

reprinted from My Husband Cooks

2 meyer lemons (juice and zest)
2 lg eggs
1 c milk
1 c ricotta cheese
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c melted unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

wisk the wet ingredients. add in the dry ingredients. pre-heat a large skillet over medium fire. (it's better to use too low of a fire than too high.) use a 1/4 c dry measuring cup to pour the batter into the skillet. when the pancakes begin to bubble on the top, they are ready to be flipped. cook until lightly golden brown on both sides.

makes ~20 pancakes

chili mango white chocolate chip cookies

1/2 c unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c dried chili mango
1 c white chocolate chips

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. makes 24 cookies.

beat the wet ingredients. add in the dry ingredients. the batter will be very thick.

drop the batter onto a cookie sheet. bake 9-10 minutes, until the bottoms are starting to turn brown. cool on wire racks.

low-fat banana bread

* adapted from joyofbaking.com

1 3/4 c flour
3/4 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 c chopped nuts (optional), lightly toasted

2 lg eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 c vegetable/canola oil
1 3/4 c mashed banana (~5 medium bananas, overly ripe, mashed well)
1 tsp vanilla

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. prepare a loaf pan with butter or nonstick baking spray. combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. mix in chopped nuts. combine wet ingredients in another bowl. fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients. be careful not to over mix! bake on middle rack for 55 minutes.

dairy-free, quick corn soup

2-3 large cans of corn, liquid drained
2 medium red potatoes (or whichever kind you like!), small dice
1 onion, diced
salt
black pepper
mixed herbs and/or parsley
2 bay leaves
minced garlic (i used 2 heaping teaspoons)

in a large pot, saute the onion and potatoes until soft. add in 2/3 of the corn and the bay leaves. add salt, pepper, herbs/parsley, and garlic to taste. cook until the potatoes and onion are soft, but not breaking down.

carefully remove 1/2 of the soup liquid and solids and puree in a blender or food processor. add the puree back to the remaining soup. add the corn that had been set aside.

continue cooking until soup has thickened slightly.