Sunday Morning Waffles

This blog has been a long time getting started. I have thought and thought and realized that I just need to write. My family loves to eat and we love food, thus “It’s All About the Food”. A few years ago I compiled a family cookbook by that name; and I realized that it is really all about the relationships. But in my large family, of necessity, we have spent a lot of time bonding over discussing, preparing, eating, and cleaning up after food; thus, “It’s All About the Food”.

On the first Sunday in October, we have a tradition of having waffles with vanilla ice cream and strawberries. Sometimes we add whipped cream on top, but not always. It all started back in the day when I used Krusteaz pancake and waffle mix so it was an inexpensive, easy, and fun meal for the kids.

Over the years, my favorite basic cookbook, Better Homes and Gardens, came out with a new edition which included the following waffle recipe which is inexpensive, easy, and yummy! I have now been using this recipe for several years and it has become our favorite standby. While I am not one to follow a recipe exactly, this one is practically perfect in every way!

Waffles

Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

2 eggs

1 ¾ cups milk

½ cup cooking oil or butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. In a medium bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

2. In another medium bowl beat eggs slightly; stir in milk, oil, and vanilla. Add egg mixture all at once to the flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be slightly lumpy).

3. Pour 1 to 1 ¼ cups of batter onto grids of a preheated, lightly greased waffle baker. Close lid quickly; do not open until done. Bake according to manufacturer’s directions. When done, use a fork to lift waffle off grid. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm.

Buttermilk Waffles: Prepare as above, except reduce baking powder to 1 teaspoon and add ½ teaspoon baking soda. Substitute 2 cups buttermilk or sour milk for milk.

Blueberry Waffles: I have had the best luck with sprinkling the blueberries on top of the batter before closing the lid of the waffle baker, rather than mixing them in the batter. You must be sure to spray the waffle irons with non-stick cooking spray before each waffle.

What I Do: I really like this recipe because it doesn’t require the egg whites to be beaten separately, yet it is not heavy. I always use vegetable, corn, or canola oil instead of melted butter or margarine. I have tried reducing the oil, but the waffles are heavier and drier and we don’t prefer them. This recipe may be tripled with no problems. Do NOT use the mixer, it mixes the batter too much and makes the waffles heavy.

For our traditional October waffles: Make waffles as directed in recipe. Let each person spread vanilla ice cream on their waffles and top with fresh sliced strawberries, or if they are too expensive or not palatable, frozen strawberries, thawed, will do.