Random Recipe I - Apple and Cottage Cheese Pancakes

I have a fun blogging friend named Dom who has challenged folks to pull and share a random recipe from one of their many cook books... just a fun bit of blogging for a winter's day. This breakfast offering was my 'random pick'.  In running my hands over the cook book shelf, I stopped at the count of ten on Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home. Then, flipping the book open and opening my eyes , I found a recipe for Apple and Cottage Cheese Pancakes. Sounds interesting ... let's see about that! Just as an aside, The Moosewood Restaurant is a relatively famous place in Ithaca, NY. It's known for its model of operation and its vegetarian cuisine. There's quite a story behind the place that you can investigate here. I have loved their cook books for years because recipe ingredients are fresh and recipes are simple and healthy.

I'm making these pancakes today for our supper. Don't know why, but I've been missing my kids a lot lately.
Making these for supper will remind me of the days when they were young and got a huge tickle from having breakfast for dinner. That odd change in routine would send them into a fit of giddy excitement over having bacon and pancakes and orange juice ... at night! haha! It was so easy to entertain in those days.

This is such a simple recipe that I almost feel daft sharing it, but the combination of cottage cheese and apple has got me interested, so I'll play along, Dom! I won't cheat and pull another option! Besides, one can't go wrong with apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg!

Okay! Here we go! I'm frying up some bacon to have with our pancakes and pouring glasses of milk. Since there is apple in the pancakes, I'm going to continue that trend. I'll cut some wedges from another apple and saute them in a bit of butter, vanilla sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. We can have them over top or on the side ... and of course, there will be New Hampshire maple syrup drizzled on some of the pancakes!

Cottage Cheese Apple Pancakes - printer friendly

Cottage Cheese Apple Pancakes
courtesy of Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home

Serves: 2
Ingredients:

1 large apple, peeled, cored, and grated
½ c. small curd cottage cheese
2 large eggs
¼ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. maple syrup
¼ tsp. salt
¼ c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Making the Pancakes:
1. Grate the apple into a large mixing bowl.

2. Thoroughly mix in the cottage cheese, eggs, spices, maple syrup and salt.

3. Whisk together the flour and baking powder in a measuring cup and then add, stirring well.

4. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat.

5. When the pan is hot, grease it well with oil, shortening, or butter.

6. Ladle ¼ cup measures of the pancake batter onto the pan.

7. When bubbles form and the bottom edges are browned, flip the pancakes and brown them on the other side.

8. Place pancakes on a warm platter and place in a warm oven while you cook the rest of the batter.

9. Serve with soft butter for spreading and maple syrup for drizzling and bacon on the side.


Afterward, and afterword:

Okay, so the batter was a bit sloppy. I added another 1/4 c. flour and that took care of that issue. I suspect the flour amount will always be an issue, depending on how big and juicy the apple used for grating.

The pancakes were really tasty! Would definitely make them again. Also, the amount was perfect for two people - two large pancakes apiece. With the apples (which was inspired!) and the bacon, there was just enough to have and not feel totally 'sugared out' or bloated from too much of a good thing.

I say, "Give them a try!" Here you go, Dom! One random recipe! Cheers!

Dear readers, you, too, can join the blog share. Click on the Belleau Kitchen badge in the sidebar of The Spice Garden's home page and it will take you to the Random Recipe invite ... see you in the round-up!