One of the best memories I have of my childhood comes from Saturday mornings. No school, usually no commitments to go to (unless it was mowing the lawn), so we could sleep in a little. But the smell coming from the kitchen always woke me up. My dad would get up on Saturday mornings and make homemade pancakes or waffles. I loved that tradition. And then during the summer when we'd go camping, he'd wake up with the sun and do the same thing - I LOVED that aroma and the sounds of the river we'd camp by and the sticks on the ground cracking under my dad's feet.
My poor family doesn't benefit from me getting up on Saturday morning and making a big breakfast.
Instead, I opt for Brinner - Breakfast + Dinner. And a favorite at our house is waffles. The secret is to get your eggs nice and fluffy. If you have a hand mixer, throw your whisk attachment on there and fluff those bad boys up - the more air you incorporate into your eggs, the lighter and fluffier your waffles will be. Another secret of mine is that I always let the batter "rest" after mixing it. That again helps ensure a light and fluffy waffle.
And I understand that there are waffle mixes out there. But making your own waffles is just as easy, cheaper, and you don't have to mess with the preservatives that come with packaged foods. These are fantastic with some butter and a little syrup (we've been opting for Kroger brand's Cinnamon Maple syrup - HOLY YUM!). And we usually go through an entire batch. If you have any leftovers, it's easy to store them - just let them cool off, then place them in a gallon size ziploc bag and freeze them. Then you can just take them out of the freezer and pop them in the microwave for a quick breakfast.
Waffles
Ingredients:
2 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbs. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
4 tsp. baking powder
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, whisk eggs on high speed until fluffy/frothy. Add remaining ingredients and, using a mixing spoon, fold into eggs to combine. Continue mixing until dry ingredients are incorporated, but a few lumps should remain. Set aside and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.
2. Preheat waffle iron. Grease iron with butter or cooking spray. Pour 1/2 - 3/4 cup batter onto waffle iron (depending on size of your iron and how big you want your waffles). Close lid and allow to cook until steam begins to come out of iron or waffle is browned.
3. Serve with syrup, fruit, or toppings of your choice.
Makes 8-10 waffles