Another Dud?

So as I stated when I announced this month's cookbook that there were quite a few recipes I wanted to try. Well as I was combing through the cookbook and flagging all my recipes (I have become obsessed with these little things) I saw this recipe for lemon, ricotta pancakes. They sounded so good. So one morning I whipped them up. And to be honest they weren't as good as I hoped. One reason I didn't like them was because the lemon flavor was way too overwhelming. The recipe calls for lemon extract and lemon juice. I think that since there are both in the recipe that maybe the amounts could be a little less of each or just to use one or the other. Also I thought these 'pancakes' were too thin and more crape like rather than pancake like; which is fine but I was expecting fluffy pancakes. The pancakes, however, were very moist- I guess from the ricotta cheese.

I also made the mistake of doubling the recipe and since I was not a big fan of them, a lot of them went to waste. I was so disappointed that this recipe was another dud like the 'Lasagna Roll Ups' from last month's cookbook of the month. I am hoping that the remainder of the recipes I try from Sandra Lee's book are better then this one and are not duds. I might have had too high of expectations when I made these pancakes since the fried meatballs I made last week turned out so delicious (even as left overs).... I guess we will see how next week's recipe goes.

Danielle's Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
adapted from Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Cooking 3

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

4 eggs, separated

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup baking mix (Bisquick)

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

raspberry or boysenberry syrup, to top pancakes

In large bowl, use electric mixture on low speed to combine ricotta, egg yolks, butter, baking mix, sugar, lemon, juice, lemon extract, and nutmeg. Using clean beaters, beat egg whites in small bowl until stiff but not dry. Carefully fold one-third of egg whites into batter, to loosen the batter. Gently fold in remaining egg whites. Lightly grease stove top griddle and set over medium-high heat. Pour 1/3 cup batter at a time onto griddle. Cook until edges are dry. Using rubber spatula, flip and cook until golden brown. Serve hot with fruit syrups.

Now when I made this I couldn't find the Bisquick and just used a regular pancake mix (this might have made a difference in the taste). Also I HATE beating egg whites into 'stiff peaks' because all I have is a hand-held mixer so this is very time consuming. So the day I made these I did not make them quite as 'stiff' as they probably should have been (this also might have made a difference in the final product). I did top mine with my Mom's homemade blackberry syrup (remind me to get the recipe from her and post it- it was absolutely divine and helped make the overwhelmingly strong lemon flavor not so overwhelming). That is the syrup which is what is pictured.