Belgian Waffles

I'll drive you nuts repeating myself, and I know you and everyone else out there already knows, but I'll risk your ire. I love breakfast foods.

There, I said it. Again.

I eat breakfast every day, usually more than once. Sure, there's the typical morning breakfast, but what would the day be without a "light snack" like egg-in-a-hole? Or an impromptu batch of French toast at 8:00 at night?

It would be a day not truly lived, is what.

What I've been missing (sorely) are waffles. I've been wanting a waffle iron for a while now, and, if you wish hard enough (and it's your birthday and your husband loves you and puts up with your food geekery) you'll wake up one fine Tuesday morning with UPS at your door holding a box with another box inside. And in that last box is a waffle iron.

And it was good.

So I had to jump in right away. I removed the waffle iron from its box immediately, gave it a washing, and then set to work making waffle batter.

So maybe I'm no expert yet, but my first batch (what you see in the picture) came out beautifully, tasted fantastic, and is currently freezing very well.

After some experimenting, I'll return with a recipe I find fit to share. Until then, here's the recipes I used: AllRecipes Waffles I.

Roundup: Perfect Pancakes, Chocolate Cookies, and Homemade Ice Creams

Where have I gone to? Did I disappear? Of course not. Who would be writing this? Silly.

It's been one of those weeks. You know, those weeks, where everything conspires to trip you up. If it wasn't tornadoes it was Boy Scout mayhem, and if it wasn't Boy Scout Mayhem it was the appearance of a moderately inconvenient cold. Oh, week, what is up with you?

None of this derailed me from my typical baking/cooking path, but it did limit my endeavors to those that were of the simpler variety. While simple is delicious and nothing went screwy on me, it was just nothing to really write about.

Except for the pancakes.

Oh, my little thimblekins, I did perfect my pancake recipe. You'll thank me, you will. They are light and fluffy and moist and delicious and perfect. All true. I don't have a picture of them, but you will make them and you will see the light and you won't care one bit about pictures.


The Scone Gunman's Killer Aim Pancakes
(Makes about 9 pancakes)

1 3/4 c flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp unsalted butter (melted)
1 1/4 c milk
2 eggs

Preheat a non-stick pan or griddle for at least 5 minutes over medium heat before you put the pancakes on.

In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients, then whisk in the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth (but don't over-mix). Drop by the 1/4 to 1/2 cupful (I use an ice cream scoop) into the preheated pan and cook until golden brown on both sides.

Tip: pancakes are ready to flip when they get bubbles on the top and are just set around the edges.

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In other news, we got an ice cream maker, which tickles me pink. My first go at it I made mint chocolate chunk, which is fantastic, even though very basic. My second go was a simple but very rich chocolate ice cream. This one isn't lasting very long, I'm afraid. Yesterday I made chocolate cookies (this recipe, sans chips and walnuts, and my god are they soft!)so I could make chocolate chocolate ice cream sandwiches.

They are awfully good.

Perfect Fluffy Pancakes with Strawberry Lime Jam

It's pretty cocky to call something you made yourself "perfect", isn't it? Tough, because these are amazing. Just as I was thinking it, my husband commented that these were the best pancakes he had ever eaten. I really couldn't agree more.

And what could make these pancakes...perfecter...more perfect? Fresh jam! Did you see that one coming? I must admit that I have never made jam before. It's kind of embarrassing and ridiculous, given that I eat jam every single day and that (as I've already confessed in an earlier post) my pantry is chock full of store-bought jams. How could I possibly not make it? Truthfully, it seemed a little intimidating. I'll bake the hell out of something, but once I'm confronted by the dreaded stove top, I freeze up.

Me and my stove's top are not BFFs.

But then I happened across a post on dandysugar for strawberry-lime quick jam, immediately became irrationally driven, and promptly called my husband in order to change his shopping list to nix jam and add strawberries. 

I could not believe how easy it was. I couldn't believe I had put off for so long what would wind up being love at first bite. 


Perfect Fluffy Pancakes
(makes 8, adapted from this)

1 1/2 c all purpose flour

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 Tbsp white sugar

1 1/4 c milk

1 egg

3 Tbsp butter (melted)

 

Preheat a lightly greased pan over medium heat. In a large bowl, sift together the first four ingredients. Add the last three and mix by hand with a whisk or fork until smooth (if you over-mix, they will cease to be light and fluffy and perfect). Drop by 1/4 cups (I used an ice cream scoop) into the pan and cook on each side until golden brown.

Strawberry-Lime Quick Jam 

(makes about 1 1/2 cups, adapted from dandysugar, adapted from Martha Stewart)

1 quart hulled strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

 

In a food processor, process strawberries until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large skillet and stir in sugar and lime juice. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until jam is thickened and bubbles completely cover surface, 9 to 10 minutes (mine actually took more like 20 minutes). Transfer jam to a jar and let cool to room temperature. (To store, seal jar and refrigerate, up to 5 days).

Now that you have pancakes and jam, break out the powdered sugar, butter, syrup, strawberries, or whatever you like on your pancakes, and maybe whip up some bacon to accompany.