Raspberry Ricotta Pancakes

I was watching "The Best Thing I ever Ate" on the Food Network and they featured some blueberry ricotta pancakes. Yum! Since I knew I wasn't going to get to whatever big city the restaurant was in anytime soon, I needed to take matters into my own hands.

I'm not a plain buttermilk and maple syrup fan. If I'm going to intake that many calories it needs to be more worth it than those are. But lately I'm discovering that you you switch it up and make yummy and flavorful pancakes with different syrups than boring old maple.

It all started with the raspberry sourcream pancake mix and the strawberries and cream pancake mix from The Prepared Pantry. Top it with some vanilla syrup (see below) and you are in heaven.

So, anyway I researched the ricotta pancakes and found a great one here. It uses a mix so it makes up just as fast as regular. Here is my version:

Raspberry Ricotta Pancakes

1 2/3 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups pancake and waffle mix (I used Bisquick)
1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
2/3 cup frozen raspberries, thawed a litte bit in microwave

Melted butter

Directions
Using a rubber spatula, stir 1 2/3 cups of water and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the pancake mix and stir just until moistened but still lumpy. Stir in the ricotta into the pancake mixture, then stir gently to incorporate the ricotta but maintain a lumpy batter. Fold in the raspberries.

Heat a griddle over medium heat. Brush with the melted butter. Working in batches, spoon 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle for each pancake. Cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Top with vanilla syrup.

I got this recipe from my friend Mary. Some call it candy syrup because it is so good. I like to think of it as weekend syrup. Because if you eat your Kashi and Protein shake for breakfast all week, you deserve this naughty syrup for breakfast on the weekend.

Vanilla syrup

1/2 cup buttermilk (or mix 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice and let sit for five minutes)

1 cup sugar

1/2 butter (no subsitutes)

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Bring buttermilk, sugar, and butter to a boil. Take off heat. Add baking soda and vanilla. Stir. Serve immediately. (But you can make ahead of time and heat before eating)

You've got to try this! It is so yummy!