Ricotta Pancake Tower and Mother's Day Treat at the Oxbow Farm

I hope all the hard working moms had a smashing Mother's Day!  Mine wasn't quite smashing but it was a nice relaxing day surrounded with all the things and people I enjoy and love.  

I made these decadent ricotta pancakes to kick off the day.  I am not a huge pancake fan unlike the rest of my family members, but once in a while I do crave for this pancake.  This is probably my favorite pancake I've ever eaten.  Ricotta makes the most moist and fluffy pancakes.  I slammed the homemade strawberry jam between the pancake layers and topped it with crème fraîche and cream cheese frosting.  Done.  I made myself feel very special and proud.  My family also treated me with a beautiful bouquet and cozy breakfast to start off the day before we headed out to the Oxbow Farm in the countryside.

Our friends invited us to join them at this charming farm called the Oxbow Farm in Carnation, WA, about 45 minutes drive east from Seattle.

When we got to this lovely farm, they told us that they were offering a few events and one of them was a foraging walk around the farm.  I didn't know anything about their events, but I've been more and more interested in foraging plants lately and even rented a book about it from the library.  So I was super excited to hear about a foraging walk.  I immediately told my husband about it and he kindly took the kids with him so that I could take up this opportunity.  

This foraging walk led by local ethnobotanist Heidi Bohan was a bonus event for me.  She talked about the Pacific Northwest plants that are traditionally harvested for food and medicine by the local tribal people.  Listening to her, it reminded me how my grandma used to harvest plants and told me the flowers I could eat around the fields.  

We had a nice little picnic, even grabbed a few plants to add to the garden and headed to the nearby river for a little walk.  The kids were happy running around like little puppies.  It was a great Mother's Day for me.  Nothing to hassle about and I felt well rested and recharged.  Sending all the good wishes and energy to fellow moms out there and a little extra for moms with little kids!

Recipe: 10 medium pancakes

pancakes:

1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup self rising flour
2 medium eggs
1 tbsp canola/veggie oil
1 tbsp lemon sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking power
1/4 tsp baking soda

frosting:

1/2 cup cream cheese (softened)

1 cup crème fraîche

1/2 cup raw honey

lemon zest from 1 lemon

1 jar strawberry jam

pomegranate seeds (optional)

seasonal fruits (optional)

In a medium bowl, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla extract together. Add ricotta cheese and oil and mix well.  In another bowl, shift and mix flour, baking power and baking soda.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until it becomes smooth butter.

Put oil in well heated pan on low medium heat.  Use a measuring cup to scoop the butter to make a pancake.  Flip the cake once they get bubbly in the middle and firm on the outsides. Wait 30-45 seconds.

In a medium bowl, whisk softened cream cheese with sugar and lemon zest with hand mixer.  Add crème fraîche and whisk more until smooth. 

Spread strawberry jam between each layer. Put the frosting on top of the tower.  Sprinkle pomegranate seeds and serve with some fresh seasonal fruit!