The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star. -- Anthelme Brillat-Savarin --
Showing posts with label Waffles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Waffles. Show all posts

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Cranberry-Orange Waffles



HOWDY friends!  Thought I’d drop by to post one more recipe before I get too busy with Easter preparations to do it.  I came across a version of this recipe years ago in a cookbook called Gifts from a Jar:  Holiday Treats.  I’ve made it many times, but never actually put it together in a gift jar like they recommend.  It’s really good, so I wanted to share my adapted recipe with you so you can try it, and tell me what you think.
 

1 jar Faithy’s Favorite Cranberry Waffle Mix (see recipe below)
1 cup buttermilk (if you don’t have any buttermilk, you can substitute 1 Tbsp. vinegar plus enough skim/fat free milk to make 1 cup - stir well and let stand for 5 minutes before using)
1/4 to 1/2 cup orange juice (you can substitute skim/fat free milk if you don’t have any, but the orange juice really adds a nice flavor)
1/4 cup HEB Real Egg (or 1 actual egg, beaten)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons Smart Balance Butter Blend sticks, melted (or real butter)
Powdered sugar, butter, maple syrup or your favorite jam

Preheat waffle iron, and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Pour waffle mix into a large bowl and stir until well blended.  Whisk together buttermilk, 1/4 cup orange juice, egg and vanilla.  (I like to do this in a large measuring cup, so it’s easy to pour into the dry ingredients when it’s ready!)  Add liquids to dry ingredients and still until just moistened.

Stir in butter.  If batter is too thick, add additional orange juice, 1 Tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the consistency you prefer.
 
Pour about ¾ cup batter onto waffle iron (you may need more or less depending on your waffle iron - check the manufacturer’s directions for recommended amounts).  Close lid and bake until steaming stops or waffles are brown and crispy.

Serve hot with toppings of your choice.  (My favorite is the powdered sugar…I think it goes perfectly with these!!)

NOTE:  You can keep waffles warm in a preheated 200°F oven.  Just place them directly on the oven rack in a single layer.  If you really want to do it right, you can heat your plates on another rack until time to serve.

ANOTHER NOTE:  These waffles freeze very well.  Just double the recipe so you’ll have some leftovers.  Then you can just pull them out and pop them in the toaster for a quick and easy breakfast!

Faithy’s Favorite Cranberry Waffle Mix


1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour (if you don’t have any whole wheat flour, feel free to use all-purpose for the entire amount - however, if you don’t have any, you SHOULD get some to keep on hand - it adds a delicious flavor as well as a nutrition boost)
1 teaspoon fresh orange peel (you can use dried, but the fresh is SOOOO much better!)
1/2 teaspoon low sodium baking powder (or regular baking powder if you don’t have this)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup Smart Sugar (as usual, feel free to substitute an equal amount of regular sugar or your own favorite sugar substitute)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or other dried fruit of your choice - I think I’ll try dried cherries next time)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

For a pretty gift, layer ingredients (in the order listed above) in a 1-pint canning jar with a tight-fitting lid.  Lightly pack down ingredients before adding each additional layer, then cover the top of the jar with fabric and attach a gift tag (with directions on how to make them) with a pretty ribbon or some raffia.

(I haven’t ever actually done that, but I’m sure I will one day.  If you try it, please send me a picture with your feedback!)

Hope you and yours survived the recent time change, and are well and happy as we approach Easter!

Blessings,
--Faithy

Monday, May 28, 2012

Mmmmm...Carrot Cake Waffles...what a GREAT idea!

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. -- John 15:13 --

Good afternoon my friends...feeling extremely grateful this Memorial Day for the many freedoms I've been afforded through the blood and sacrifice of others...first and foremost, my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ...then the many men & women who have served so gallantly in our nation's military to protect those freedoms that most of us tend to take for granted each day.  THANK YOU will never be enough…


Thanks to Facebook, I recently came across a blog, called Willow Bird Baking:  Lessons in Life & Kitchen Confidence  by Julie Ruble.  I found this delicious-sounding recipe there (and you should see the mouth-watering pictures that go with it!), and since I had a day at home today (VERY unusual on a weekday), I decided to give it a try.  I’m posting the link to the recipe on Julie’s blog here.  However, as most of you know, I can never quite make a recipe exactly “as is”, sooooo...  J

For those of you who are interested, here are the changes I made…

Waffle Ingredients:
1.   I used 3 parts all-purpose flour to 1 part whole wheat flour.
2.   I halved the amount of salt.
3.   I used 1 part regular sugar and 1 part Smart Sugar.
4.   I reduced the nutmeg by 25%.
5.   I was out of buttermilk, so I used fat free (skim) milk with vinegar.
6.   I used HEB Real Egg instead of the egg yolks.
7.    I omitted the raisins.
8.    As a TEXAS girl…I proudly used pecans in place of the walnuts.

Maple Nut Cream Cheese Spread Ingredients:
1.    I used fat free cream cheese.
2.    I used REAL maple syrup as called for and then added 1 Tbsp. pancake syrup for flavoring.
3.    Once again I substituted pecans for the walnuts.
4.    I added 3 Tbsp. powdered (confectioner’s) sugar.

Some of my family was out working on fences here in Zig Zag this morning (while I played in the kitchen), so I got a batch ready for them as a mid-morning snack.  Once the tasting began, I got “thumbs up” all around.

I didn’t serve them quite the way Julie did (no layered waffle “cakes” here)…just individual waffles with the spread on the side for folks to spread as little or as much as they wanted.  NOTE:  I halved the waffle recipe, but used the full recipe for the spread.  (I wanted to have some left to try on a bagel later!)  It’s a good thing…no one even wanted the syrup I offered with it…the spread was plenty good on it’s own!

Folks…you really should try these…they are SOOOOO GOOD!!!  I hadn’t ever actually taken the time to “bloom” my spices before, but I did that today.  What wonderful smells poured forth from my kitchen!!  It’s easy, and doesn’t take too much longer.  Try it!

I hope you are spending today with your family, and taking a minute to reflect on the high cost of the freedom we enjoy here in the United States of America…both our spiritual freedom, and our national freedom.


In the words of Ronald Reagan (from his 1986 Memorial Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery):  “Today is the day we put aside to remember fallen heroes and to pray that no heroes will ever have to die for us again.  It’s a day of thanks for the valor of others, a day to remember the splendor of America and those of her children who rest in this cemetery and others.  It’s a day to be with the family and remember…”
Remembering…
--Faithy