Every Relationship Has Harsh, Bitter, Moments

Every relationship has amazing, sweet, romantic moments. Some have more than others. You know the ones; you go out to the movies, and SO rushes to your door while you fix your lip gloss. You go in theater 5 and it’s totally empty. So you sit smack in the middle of the place and throw popcorn and Swedish Fish in each other’s mouths, laughing and missing the whole animated kid’s film.

Every relationship has harsh, bitter, moments. And some have more than others. You remember those. You’ve just gotten suddenly inspired to do something amazing, and you ask the first opinion expecting your favorite person to praise you and celebrate in all the new possibilities this brings. That’s not what happens. Instead, a long day surfaces and exposes you to built up anger and frustration. Criticism and harsh judgments of past failures are what you receive instead of excitement.

To make a really good buttermilk pancake you need several ingredients. Now, without every one of these ingredients, the pancakes would be totally different, and most likely a total flop, unless of course, you had a fitting substitute. You can’t expect the perfect results if you don’t have the right ingredients.

In the same way, if you don’t go through certain milestones or have certain connections in your relationship, you aren’t going to be at the same place or have the same harmony that other couples you spot may have. Now, at the same time, you might have had all those ingredients, and some extras that added incredible flavor and diversity, but the pancakes were under cooked. Maybe you saw a couple really good elements in that person, but once you started stirring, you realized that there was way to much vinegar and not enough sugar to create a good result.

Possibly you added vanilla, but skimped on the oil; good flavor can’t be masked by batter that doesn’t stick. Even slathering on maple syrup at the end can’t fix the problem when it’s inside. “I fell for you like a child…. Customize your pancakes. Buttermilk, banana, chocolate, blueberry, whatever your blessed heart desires. Just remember… ingredients have special purposes; you can’t always interchange them and expect it to turn out perfectly. The same as sugar and vinegar have different purposes and results, elements in any relationship will cause contrasting developments to occur. Make sure to get a good base recipe, and use it to your advantage. Happy pancaking, my friends. I have been making buttermilk pancakes so much lately. Maybe I’ll send out my recipe next.

Keep things light and bright by topping the stack off with fresh strawberries or another fruit. The batter makes around 16 pancakes. Directions: Place butter and milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until butter has melted; remove from heat and let cool slightly. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon of the salt; set aside.

Place egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of the sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Whisk in a quarter of the milk-butter mixture, then whisk in the remaining milk-butter mixture until smooth. Add the reserved flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined, being careful not to overmix; set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk egg whites to soft peaks. Halfway through whisking them, sprinkle in the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Using the rubber spatula, fold the whites into the reserved batter until just combined. Gently fold the ricotta into the batter, being careful not to break down the texture of the cheese (the batter will be lumpy and streaked with ricotta); set aside. Heat a large nonstick frying pan, griddle, or seasoned cast iron skillet over medium heat until hot, about 4 minutes.

Test to see if the pan is hot enough by sprinkling a couple of drops of cold water in it. If the water bounces and sputters, the pan is ready to use. Lightly coat the pan’s surface with butter, then use a ¼-cup measure to scoop the batter into the pan.

Cook until bubbles form on top of the pancakes, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until the bottoms are golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve immediately with powdered sugar, fruit, butter, or maple syrup. Southern Living has another cheese in mind with these flapjacks. Complete your breakfast by pairing the light pancakes with a side of bacon, eggs, sausage, or hash browns.