Insanely Great Waffles and Easter Weekend

We had a great Easter weekend. We celebrated a few birthdays, dyed eggs, took some pictures in a field of bluebonnets, I baked and cooked til I fell into bed and we had an Easter egg hunt. This was Hayden's second Easter but the first time he was big enough to get involved. I got him a puppy basket and filled eggs with yogurt raisins and m&m's. He also got a new toothbrush and toothpaste which he LOVES. He could brush his teeth all day long if you let him. He had so much fun hunting eggs and crushing cascarones in the backyard, that my aunt and uncle brought over. 

This year for Easter, my grandparents were in town so the family gathered and we had brunch. I made a lemon tart, a strawberry cake, a breakfast casserole, wrapped up Cowboy cookies as favors and whipped up a quintuple batch of these waffles. I usually make yeasted Belgian waffles but these are much quicker to prepare and just as delicious. I made them the night before, froze them, then reheated them in the oven just as the guests arrived. It saved a ton of time and everyone got piping hot waffles. The only thing missing was the fried chicken!  

Waffles of Insane Greatness from Food Network

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• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg, sugar and vanilla and mix well. Let the batter sit for 30 minutes.

Preheat a waffle iron. Do not use non-stick spray on the waffle iron; the oil in the batter will allow the waffle to release easily. Follow the directions on your waffle iron to cook the waffles. Serve immediately.

Serves 3-4 

NOTE: The waffles will vary in size depending on your waffle maker. I have a Belgian waffle maker that produces thick waffles. This recipe makes 6 squares of waffles. I often double or triple the recipe and freeze the leftovers for a quick breakfast during the week. 

Buttered Pecan Syrup from Monica H

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a small saucepan, combine pecans, butter and syrup. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes on low heat. Just before serving, stir in vanilla extract. Pour over waffles, pancakes, or ice cream. 

Serves 4

Happy Spring!

Belgian Waffles for Easter Brunch

I learned something while making these waffles. I learned the difference between a standard American waffle and a Belgian waffle and I thought I'd share that information with you as well. I always thought that Belgian waffles were the same as American waffles just thicker, but that's only part of it. American waffles are raised solely with baking powder while Belgian waffles get their rise from yeast. The yeast also lends a tangy flavor and lightness to the waffle. Since the Belgian waffles are thicker, the grooves are deeper which accomodate all kinds of fruits syrups and sweetened whipped cream.

We've made these waffles several times since discovering them in Williams-Sonoma's Breakfast book. This is also the same cookbook that I found the delicious Sour Cream Coffee Cake. The first time we made them we only made one batch, which didn't last very long. Now when we make them, we double or triple the recipe and freeze the leftovers- they reheat wonderfully in the toaster. You noticed I said "we" right? That's right, Mr. H likes these so much even he helps make them. I heat the wet ingredients and he measures and stirs out the dry. We're a good team when it comes to making waffles.

This is a triple batch of waffles.

One of the things that I like about these waffles, other than the taste, is that most of the prep work is done the night before you make them. Overnight, the yeast mingles with all the other ingredients and does it's thing, making the batter light and airy. In the morning all you have to do is whip up the egg whites and fold it into the batter and breakfast is done in no time. These really are the best waffles I've ever made or eaten. If you try them, I hope you love them as much as we do!

Belgian Waffles from Williams-Sonoma's Breakfast
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• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup sparkling mineral water
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and still warm
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 large egg whites
• pinch of cream of tartar

The night before you plan to serve the waffles: In a large bowl. whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, salt and yeast. In a small saucepan over medium-high heat. combine the whole milk and the sparkling water and heat to lukewarm (105 degreesF). Whisk in the melted butter and vanilla. Pour into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Cover tightly and let stand overnight at cool room temperature.

The next morning: Preheat a Belgian waffle iron. Whisk the egg yolk into the batter. In a large clean bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites and the cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Thoroughly stir about one-third of the beaten whites into the batter, then fold in the remaining whites, without overmixing.

When the waffle iron is hot, ladle 3/4-1 cup of batter into each waffle section and spread with a wooden spoon so the grids are evenly covered. Close the iron and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions until the waffle exterior is golden brown and the inside is light and springy, 4-5 minutes. (The first waffle may not be perfect. Adjust the amount of batter and cooking time if necessary.)

Keep waffles warm in a low oven. Serve with whipped cream, fresh fruit or maple syrup.

Makes about 2 large waffles.

Happy, happy waffles!

Hey Mickey You're So Fine...

You're So Fine You Blow My Mind. Hey Mickey!

Remember last month when I made Berry Sour Cream Waffles for Mother's Day? Also remember me promising you that I'd share my Mickey Waffle Maker with you? Well here it is in all it's cuteness with an awesome waffle recipe loaded with caramelized brown sugar bacon, just in time for Father's Day. oh yeah!

I think this would be a great recipe to make for your favorite Dad this Sunday, granted he's not a vegetarian. Now I can't tell you what all fathers like, but I can tell you what my husband, Mr. H, likes- and that's BACON! I don't think he's ever met a slice he didn't become fast friends with. Add a little brown sugar to it and caramelize it in the oven and you've got crispy, sticky goodness on your hands. Fold it into a lightly sweetened waffle batter and you've got a winner. Make it nice and golden in a Mickey Waffle maker and you'll have smiles all around. You may even get a kiss right on your smackeroo!

Now it doesn't have to be made in a Mickey Waffler but you get extra points for cuteness if it is. These can be made in any size or shape waffle maker. Because mine didn't have that typical waffle design they did not get very crispy, instead they were like thick pancakes, which we were okay with. If you don't have a waffle maker you can add a little more buttermilk to it and make pancakes. That's what I did for Easter and they were well received. These waffles were the perfect combination of sweet and savory. Of course if you're a real bacon lover then make extra bacon to serve on the side, you'll be glad you did.

Brown Sugar Bacon Mickey Waffles adapted from Joy The Baker

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For the Bacon:

• 10 slices of bacon
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

For the Waffles:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cups canola oil* (see note)
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups buttermilk

For the bacon: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non stick cooking spray (Non-stick foil works well here). Arrange bacon in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Sprinkle generously with brown sugar. Place in the upper third of the oven and bake until sugar is caramelized and bacon is brown and crispy, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from oven. Immediately remove bacon slices using a pair of tongs. Place them on a cutting board (not paper towels, they'll stick!) to cool before chopping. Once cool, chop the bacon into bite size bits and set aside.

For the waffles: Set up your waffle iron on a level, clean surface and turn on to preheat.

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and brown sugar. Whisk to blend.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold. Once almost fully incorporated, add the chopped bacon pieces. Stir just until incorporated- do not to over mix the batter or the waffles will become tough. It's ok if a few lumps remain in the batter.

Cook according to your waffle machine instructions.

Serve with butter, syrup and/or fruit.

NOTE: I used the remaining bacon grease in place of the full amount of canola oil. If you choose to do this, add the cooled bacon grease to a measuring cup then add enough canola or vegetable oil to make 2/3 cup.

Would you look at that!

Berry-licious Waffles For Yo Momma

I don't own a waffle maker. Well that's a lie, I do own one, but it's not what you might think. It's shaped like Mickey Mouse. From The Disney Store. Don't judge me, it was purchased in my single days :-) While it's super cute (I'll show it to you soon!), it doesn't produce very crispy waffles. So for this recipe I borrowed my mother-in-laws vintage iron and it worked like a charm, even if I cussed a few times from burning my fingers. Tell me you've never done that?

I found this recipe from one of my favorite blogs, A Feast For The Eyes. Debby is such a sweetheart and has such delicious recipes on her blog. (Go check her out!) She got it from The Cutting Edge Of Ordinary, which I just discovered and really like! And she got it from 101 Cookbooks. This recipe was delicious and is worth passing on. Lisa and Debby both added blueberries and I did the same. Only I decided to add in a few raspberries too. They just make everything prettier!

The batter was simple to put together. It includes a stick of melted butter and sour cream so you know they're good. You don't have to add the berries in the batter, they'd be just as good on top or on the side with a little raw sugar. Like Debby suggested, I served these with a pat of butter and blueberry syrup. They were tender and delicious. We enjoyed them on a lazy Sunday morning with crispy salty bacon and a strong cup of coffee but they'd be just as special served for Mother's Day.

Berry Sour Cream Waffles adapted from A Feast For The Eyes

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup sour cream
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups of fresh or frozen berries, optional (I used raspberries and blueberries)
• Maple syrup or jam, for serving

Heat a waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions. Lightly oil the grids.

Meanwhile whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl to combine and make a well in the center.

If adding berries, add about ¼ cup of the flour to the blueberries and gently mix—this will help prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the batter.

Whisk the melted butter, milk, sour cream, and eggs in a medium bowl until well combined and pour into the well. Whisk just until smooth; do not over mix. Gently fold the berries into the batter.

Spoon about ¼ cup of the batter into the center of each quadrant of the waffle iron and close the iron. Cook until the waffle is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

Serve the waffles hot, with butter and syrup.

Makes twelve 4-inch waffles.

This recipe makes twelve 4-inch waffles. Even if 12 waffles is too much for you to eat at once, take the time to make the full recipe. You can freeze them two at a time in sandwich bags and have them whenever you want. Just reheat them in a toaster.

I was nominated for "Awesomest Food Blog" on i am mommy's blog. If you feel so inclined, please head over there and VOTE for me.

Also a special thank you goes out to Tara of Misc Momma for the nomination.

Thank you so much, I am truly honored!

Monica