Waffles (v)

I will choose a waffle over a pancake any day.  Eventually, I will write an entire cookbook on waffles alone.  I'm a freak about them.  This morning, I made some plain waffle batter.  I made one plain waffle.  Then I made one strawberry, one blueberry, and two coconut waffles.  I figured it was time to share the basic waffle recipe.  You can add whatever you want to this recipe.  It's super easy and delicious.  Waffles are always a dinner option for me.  I got my waffle iron for 5 bucks at a garage sale in Kalamazoo.  Best 5 bucks I've spent in a long time!

breakfast, lunch, dinner, whenever.

Waffles

In a large bowl, stir together:

1 1/4 cups flour

2 Tbs. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

In another bowl, mix well:

2 Tbs. oil

1 1/4 cup water

OR

1/2 cup milk or soymilk or almond milk or whatever + 3/4 cup water (You can even use yogurt!)

Mix the wet ingredients into the drys and mix only until ingredients are blended.  You want a somewhat lumpy batter.  Stirring too much makes the batter tough.

Bake in a preheated and well oiled waffle iron.

I always add something to the batter.  This morning, I added 3 Tbs. cornmeal & 1/4 cup oatmeal.  I added a little extra water to make up for the added dry ingredients.

For coconut waffles, all I did was add about 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut to the batter.  I wanted there to be a prominent coconut flavor, so I added about a Tbs. or two of coconut rum and stirred it in.  The waffles not only smelled amazing as they were baking, and they tasted like a slice of sweet southern coconut cake,  Next time I will add vanilla.  I'll post the official recipe when I perfect it!

That's the great thing about this recipe, you can add whatever you want.  Like pizza, nothing is truly off the list for waffle ingredients.  I have made savory vegetable and cheese waffles before, and I have thrown just about everything edible in a waffle before with good end results!  Have fun experimenting!

Waffles freeze very well and are magical when reheated in the toaster or the broiler.  Just be sure to wrap them well so they won't get freezer burn, if they last that long in the freezer!

*this recipe makes yum pancakes too.  Silver dollar size turn out the best!

Breakfast, Anytime.

I used to hate eggs.  Even things that had eggs in them I couldn't stand.  But I wasn't being fair to the egg, because it turns out, it's the yolk that I don't like (and I actually do like the yolk when cooked into soups, like Ramen noodles for example).  I actually really like egg whites!  Once I came to this realization, I made an old favorite that my grandma used to make, minus the egg yolk; Egg in a Basket.  My version has wo egg whites, a slice of sharp cheddar cheese, plenty of fresh ground black pepper, a thinck slice of a red ripe tomato and a huge pile of mushrooms sauteed in olive oil.  I learned from the British to have friend mushrooms with breakfast.   It really completes the meal!



Egg in a Basket Mimi Style

For each person:

1 slice of bread with the center cut out, save the center!

2 egg whites

1 thick slice tomato

olive oil for sauteeing

1 cup mushrooms, chopped

Sautee the mushrooms in olive oil until done.  Set aside.

Toast the bread and the bread cut-out, in the pan on one side until browned, turn over and add the egg whites to the center of the bread.  Top with cheese slice and tomat.  Cover and cook until egg is done.  Top with the bread cut-out and fresh black pepper.

Transfer to a plate and top with the sauteed mushrooms.

Another good way to make an egg:

A friend of mine found a recipe where you bake an egg in an avocado half.  We tried it, and it was really good.  Paired with a thick slice of sourdough toast, this is a very satisfying breakfast.  I think even a thin slice of ham under the cheese would be delicious too...

Here's how we did it:



Baked Egg in Avocados

For each person, one avocado half and one egg.  Cheese and seasoned salt.

Cut the avocado and remove the pit.  Set each avocado in a little foil nest in a cast iron pan.  This little nest holds the avocados upright so that the egg won't spill out!  Put the pan on the oven rack and the crack the egg into each half.  Depending on the size of your avocado, all of the egg may not fit.  You can scoop out the avocado a bit more before adding the egg if you need more room!

Top with shredded cheese and bake at 400 until egg is done.  Sprinkle with a little seasoned salt.  I made mine without the yolk and it was amazing.  The avocado had such a great flavor, and the egg and cheese combined with the warm and creamy avocado left me wanting another one!





the dank foccacia with coarse salt (v)

This idea for this blog was born from the request for my Foccacia recipe. It is one of the easiest breads to make, and after losing the recipe for about six months, I can finally share it!

One summer I was a nanny for a 2 year old little boy, Oli.  I used to clean and cook when he was napping, and I found this recipe originally in some random cookbook that belonged to Oli's mama, Patty.  I copied the recipe down and have been making it for years.  At first the recipe was simply called foccacia, but after several times of making it, I re-wrote the title so that I would know it was the recipe I wanted, since I kept it in a notebook of recipes that I had copied from other cookbooks.  It's an incredibly versatile recipe, and my friend Ashley has made so many different yummy variations using this recipe.  She even made it into a loaf of bread and made french toast out of it.  Yum! 

This recipe makes a traditional breaddy focaccia.  It's moist and delicious, and can be rolled or spread thin enough for a pizza crust.  Have fun experimenting with it!

 you will need yeast, but don't be afraid.  it's easy.

Foccacia

1 tsp. yeast

1 tsp. sugar

1 cup warm water

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water.  Let proof for a few minutes.

Add 1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

add up to 4 cups flour gradually.  You may only need 3, just add enough flour to mix into a nice soft ball.

Knead for a few minutes then put into an oiled bowl, roll the ball around in the oil to coat.  Put a warm wet towel over the bowl and let the dough rise for 1 hour.

Make one big or several small dough rounds, flatten slightly with your hand and add toppings of choice.  My original recipe called for olive oil, rosemary and coarse salt.  I recommend this first, then you can stray and add your own yummy toppings!

Bake on a cookie sheet at 425 for 10 minutes.  Lower the oven to 400 & bake for 10-15 min. longer.

Enjoy!  .