Recipe + Giveaway: Whole Wheat-Ricotta-Almond Pancakes

Ever since I got a new two-burner griddle a few months back, I've been obsessed with pancake making. So when Hodgson Mill held their Have a Grain Holiday contest, there was no doubt what my entry was going to be.

While it's not as winter festive as, say, gingerbreads or fruitcakes, these whole wheat-ricotta-almond pancakes are not only delicious but also incredibly easy to make--perfect for the morning after that labor-intensive holiday feast (or honestly, any time of year!) The whole wheat flour gives it a hearty texture and a distinctly "wheaty" flavor while the ricotta cheese keeps the pancake moist, fluffy and tender, and sliced almonds in the batter gives it that pleasantly soft whisper of a crunch.

Ingredients (for approx. 10 palm-sized pancakes):
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (as part of the contest, Hodgson Mill provided me with theirs)
2 oz. sliced almonds plus an additional handful for garnish
2 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
8 oz. ricotta cheese (I used Angelo & Franco's)
3/4 cup full or reduced-fat milk
3 eggs, separated
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Directions:
1. Whisk/beat the 3 egg whites until soft peaks form, set aside.
2. Preheat griddle/skillet to medium heat
3. In separate bowls, combine the dry ingredients (flour, almonds, sugar, salt, baking powder) and wet ingredients (milk, cheese, egg yolks, extracts) in separate bowls before mixing them together.
4. Gently fold in the whipped egg whites.
5. If your griddle is not non-stick, lightly grease it with cooking spray or oil before each batch.
6. Using a ladle or large spoon, drop palm-sized dollops of the batter onto griddle.
7. When the edges of the batter start to bubble (approx. 2 minutes) flip them with a spatula and let it cook for another 1-2 minutes.
8. Garnish with sliced almonds and serve with your choice of syrup or compote (I'm partial to my express raspberry syrup, which is simply combining roughly equal amounts of frozen raspberries & maple syrup and heating - on stovetop or microwave - until the berries give off their juices--sometimes I blend it afterwards for a smoother texture.)

In addition to generously providing me with the flour for this recipe, Hodgson Mill is also holding a contest for 50 lucky folks to win a "Holiday Gift Pack" assortment of their flours and baking mixes.

And in an almost infomercial-esque fashion "But wait, there's more!"

U.S. readers of this blog get an additional opportunity to win a Hodgson Mill assortment (valued @ $25) by commenting here with your e-mail. I'll randomly draw a winner for this giveaway by Saturday, December 8, at noon PST.  

And even if you don't win, Hodgson Mill has a $1 off coupon towards any 5 lb. package of their flours.

Good luck!