Spicy Baby Cakes

DEAR SOS: About a year ago, I enjoyed the sweet potato cakes served by L.A. Spice, a catering company in Los Angeles. I have searched for a similar recipe but can find only muffin recipes. Can you help?

DEB ROSE

Palos Verdes Estates

DEAR DEB: Lucky you. We asked L.A. Spice for the recipe and were graciously given it.

SWEET POTATO BABY CAKES

CAKES

1 pound sweet potatoes or yams

1 tablespoon minced ginger root

4 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

10 to 12 tablespoons flour

Oil

CILANTRO CREAM SAUCE

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Peel sweet potatoes and coarsely grate in food processor. Add ginger and finely chop. Add lemon juice, pepper flakes, nutmeg, salt, eggs and flour and pulse to mix well.

Heat lightly oiled flat griddle or skillet over medium heat. When hot, spoon 1 tablespoon batter for each 1 1/2- to 2-inch-diameter pancake onto griddle and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Continue until all batter is used. Add oil to griddle as needed.

Serve warm with Cilantro Cream Sauce.

CILANTRO CREAM SAUCE

Combine sour cream and cilantro.

25 cakes. Each cake with 1 teaspoon sauce:

55 calories; 34 mg sodium; 19 mg cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.17 gram fiber.

Long-Lost Cookies

DEAR SOS: My mother had a wonderful recipe for sugar cookies made with sour cream from a Los Angeles Times column of about 30 years ago. I wonder if I can have a copy of the recipe.

LILLIAN GELBERG

Los Angeles

DEAR LILLIAN: We almost gave up our search before finding the little treasure hiding in an old file.

SOUR CREAM SUGAR COOKIES

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

2 3/4 cups sifted flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat shortening, sugar and eggs until creamy. Stir in sour cream and lemon extract.

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into egg mixture. If dough is soft, chill until it can be dropped from spoon without spreading. Drop batter by rounded tablespoon on greased baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake at 375 degrees until tops spring back when lightly touched, about 10 minutes.

4 dozen. Each cookie:

80 calories; 30 mg sodium; 11 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.02 gram fiber.