Category Archives: Breakfast/Brunch

May 18, 2011 · 10:42 am

Waffle Week: Overnight Yeast Raised Waffles

Waffles made with yeast are a great alternative to traditional waffles. They have a slightly tangy flavor and are much lighter than many regular waffle recipes. Yeast raised waffles do require some forethought, as the batter needs to be made the night before, and left to proof on the countertop overnight. Be sure to use a big bowl as the batter will rise significantly.

Some of my kids did not enjoy these waffles as much, but I really liked them. They thought the yeast flavor was a little too pronounced. In typical completely inconsistent fashion, however, they did really enjoy the Sourdough Waffles that I made, which also sit overnight and have a tangy (but less-yeasty) taste. (RECIPE TOMORROW)

For Waffle Tips & Strategies, click HERE.

RECIPE:

Overnight Yeast Raised Waffles

Servings: 12
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2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbs sugar
1 ½ tsp instant yeast or rapid rise yeast
1 tsp salt
1 ¾ cups warm whole milk (110°F)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Whisk the flour, sugar, yeast and salt together in a large bowl, then gradually whisk in the warm milk and melted butter until smooth. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours.

Heat the waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instruction. Spread the appropriate amount of batter (I use a scant 2 cups in mine) onto the waffle iron and cook until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. **Use less batter than you normally do: this batter rises significantly while cooking.

Remove waffles from waffle maker and place on a wire rack (not a plate). Serve immediately or keep warm in a warm oven (very low heat).

Makes about 3 large Belgian waffles (12 small squares)

To freeze: Cool waffles on a wire rack. Place in Ziploc bags and freeze. Reheat individual frozen waffles in a toaster (for crispier edges) or microwave (for a soft waffle).

Recipe from Cooks Illustrated

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Waffle Week: Banana Nut Bread Waffles

These waffles taste just like banana bread, laced with cinnamon and finely chopped nuts. And some great deep pockets just begging for Vanilla Buttermilk Syrup (recipe HERE). These waffles are one of our family’s favorites! Your kitchen will smell divine for the rest of the day.

For Waffle Tips & Strategies, click HERE.

RECIPE:

Banana Nut Bread Waffles

Servings: 12-16
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2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ cups buttermilk or sour milk**
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, separated
1 ½ cups mashed bananas (about 3 ripe bananas)
4 Tbs butter, melted
¾ cup walnuts, chopped

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, brown sugar, vanilla, and egg yolks. Mix well. Stir in bananas and melted butter.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Stir buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients. Gently fold beaten egg whites into batter. Fold in chopped nuts.

Use a ladle or measuring cup to pour batter evenly into hot waffle maker (about 2 cups for the 4 small Belgian waffles in my waffle maker). Cook for about 3-5 minutes, or according to directions on your waffle maker. Remove waffles from waffle maker and place on a wire rack (not a plate). Serve immediately or keep warm in a warm oven (very low heat).

Makes 3-4 large Belgian waffles (12-16 small squares)

**To make sour milk: add 2 Tbs lemon juice to a 2 cup measuring cup, fill to 1 ½ cup line with milk (whole milk works best). Stir; let sit 5 minutes before using. If using sour milk, add an additional 1-2 Tbs flour to batter.

To freeze: Cool waffles on a wire rack. Place in Ziploc bags and freeze. Reheat individual frozen waffles in a toaster (for crispier edges) or microwave (for a soft waffle).

Recipe adapted from Willow Bird Baking

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Vanilla Buttermilk Syrup

Servings: Makes about 2 cups
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1 ½ cups white or brown sugar (I use half white, half brown)
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup (1 stick) butter
2 Tbs dark corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped**

Combine sugar, buttermilk, butter, corn syrup, baking soda, salt, and vanilla bean (both seeds and split pod) in a large pot (mixture will increase drastically in volume while cooking from the reaction between buttermilk and baking soda. Use a LARGE pot: soup pot size). Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to maintain a low simmer and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until syrup is a light golden brown. Remove from heat. Remove and discard vanilla bean pod. Serve warm.

Store in refrigerator. Syrup will thicken to a soft caramel consistency in the refrigerator. Reheat before serving.

Serve over Waffles, Pancakes, Ice Cream, or anywhere you would use a caramel sauce.

** You can substitute 1 tsp vanilla extract for the vanilla bean, if desired. Stir vanilla extract into syrup AFTER cooking and removing from heat.

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Waffle Week: Brown Sugar Buttermilk Waffles

For Valentines Day, I got a new waffle maker. I have been without a waffle maker for more than ten years, and didn’t think that I was really missing out on anything. Waffles are just glorified, more-effort-involved pancakes, right? I was so wrong! So I must thank my kids for conspiring to get me this new waffle iron! I love it!

I do have to admit that Little J was leery of the first waffles that I made. “These are burnt. And square.” she said. I replied that they weren’t burnt; they were supposed to be that color. She insisted, however, that “real waffles are supposed to be yellow. And round.” (Think Eggo). Poor child: she had never eaten a homemade waffle, only an artificially colored imitation. I am glad to say that after her first bite, she was converted. She is still less convinced about the homemade syrups. She keeps asking when I am going to buy some more “real syrup.” Until then she is sticking to fruit and whipped cream toppings.

For the last couple of months, I have tried more than a dozen new waffle recipes (and some great waffle toppings), and I am finally ready to share some family favorites.

The first recipe is a traditional buttermilk waffle recipe, made with separated eggs (with the egg whites beaten until stiff). The whipped egg whites make for great air pockets in these crispy waffles with a soft, tender center. This is a great basic recipe for everyday waffles.

buttermilk waffles sep eggs (15)-1

A few Basic Waffle Tips & Strategies that I have learned these last 3 months:

Make sure that your waffle iron is very hot. Cool iron = lots of sticking. My new Calphalon waffle iron is non-stick and does not require any oil or spray to keep the waffles from sticking.

Don’t overfill the waffle maker pockets. Spillage is not fun to clean. Start with a scant amount of batter on the first few waffles, until you are sure of the right amount. Different recipes will rise more or less while cooking, so don’t think that the same amount of batter will work with different recipes.

Once your batter is mixed, do not keep stirring batter between batches. The air pockets in the batter (from the baking powder/soda or whipped egg whites) will collapse with over-stirring.

Use a ladle or measuring cup (1/2 cup size works well for my waffle maker) to scoop batter. This minimizes the stirring or pouring which will deflate your batter.

If you are using add-ins like blueberries or chocolate chips, sprinkle them on the batter in the waffle iron (instead of in the batter in the bowl); then use a heat-safe rubber spatula (or the back of your ladle) to move some batter over the berries/chips so that they don’t stick to the top plate of the waffle maker. If stirred into the batter in the bowl, these heavier items tend to sink, requiring more stirring, which will deflate your batter.

Cool waffles on a wire cookie sheet, not a plate. Letting the air circulate around the waffles will keep them from getting soggy.

If you are not serving the waffles immediately, place the wire cooling rack in a warm oven (200°F or lower) until ready to serve.

Waffles are great for making in large batches and freezing in Ziploc bags for busy mornings. Reheat in the toaster to maintain crispy edges.

Buttermilk substitute: Place 1 Tbs lemon juice in a one cup measure; add milk to one cup line. Stir; let sit for 5-10 minutes before using. Or try dried buttermilk powder that stores in the fridge. Or use kefir.

Oil (in the batter) makes for crispier waffles; melted butter makes for softer, more cake-like waffles. I prefer using oil in most recipes. Use a mild flavored oil.

RECIPE:

Brown Sugar Buttermilk Waffles (Separated Eggs)

Servings: 12
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2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ¾ cups buttermilk or sour milk**
3 Tbs brown sugar
4 Tbs oil or melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, separated

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, brown sugar, oil or melted butter, vanilla, and egg yolks. Mix well.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Stir buttermilk mixture into dry ingredients. Gently fold beaten egg whites into batter.

Makes 3 large Belgian waffles (12 small squares)

**To make sour milk: add 2 Tbs lemon juice to a 2 cup measuring cup, fill to 1 ¾ cup line with milk (whole milk works best). Stir; let sit 5 minutes before using. If using sour milk, add an additional 1-2 Tbs flour to batter.

To freeze: Cool waffles on a wire rack. Place in Ziploc bags and freeze. Reheat individual frozen waffles in a toaster (for crispier edges) or microwave (for a soft waffle).

Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman, How To Cook Everything

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Tagged as air pockets, Belgian waffles, breakfast, buttermilk, Calphalon, crispy, dessert, freezing waffles, recipe, separated eggs, tender, tips, waffle iron, waffles, whipped egg whites

May 5, 2011 · 10:44 am

Quick & Easy Nutella Crescent Rolls

A quick and easy idea today that isn’t really a recipe, as it only contains three ingredients: a tube of packaged crescent rolls, a jar of Nutella and some chopped nuts. I used walnuts, but chopped hazelnuts, pecans, or almonds would also be good. These are the jumbo-sized rolls, but you can make them with any of the varieties.

Great for kids to make for a Mother’s Day breakfast (or dessert). And always popular with hungry teenagers after early-morning seminary.

Open tube of crescent rolls; separate dough into triangles. Spread with Nutella. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Roll into crescent shape, beginning with wide end. Curve ends into crescent shape. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon liner. Bake according to package directions until golden brown. Serve warm.

RECIPE:

Nutella Crescent Rolls

Servings: 8
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1 tube Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (regular or jumbo)
Nutella
Finely chopped nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds or pecans)

Unroll and separate raw crescent roll triangles. Spread with Nutella. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Roll into crescent shape, beginning with wide end. Curve ends into crescent shape. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon liner. Bake according to package directions until golden brown (about 15-18 minutes at 350°F for the jumbo size).

Cool slightly. Serve warm.

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Tagged as baking, breakfast, brunch, chocolate, crescent rolls, dessert, easy, kids, mothers day, Nutella, nuts, quick, recipe

January 12, 2011 · 8:20 pm

Baking & Board Games: A Perfect Snow Day

Baking and Board Games:
What better way to spend a mid-week, school-canceled SNOW DAY!

With a little sledding, snow-fort making and hot chocolate sipping added to keep things balanced.

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Raspberry Chocolate Oatmeal Muffins (recipe below)
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Our Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies (recipe HERE)

RECIPE:

Raspberry Chocolate Oatmeal Muffins

Servings: 12
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**Prep Note: the oats need to soak in the milk for 1 hour before adding the rest of the ingredients.

1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk + 1 Tbs white vinegar or lemon juice)
1 cup rolled oats
1 large egg, at room temperature
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
½ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup raspberries or mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
½ cup dark chocolate chunks or chips

Combine buttermilk and oats in a large bowl and let stand for one hour. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

Stir the egg into the oat and milk mixture; add brown sugar and sugar; mix to combine. Stir in melted butter. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, & spices. Gently fold into batter, taking care not to over mix. Gently stir in raspberries and chocolate.

Spoon batter into muffin tins. Bake until light brown and tops spring back when gently touched, about 15 minutes (they will take slightly longer if using frozen berries).

Cool on a wire rack.

Recipe from Aimée at Simple Bites

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Tagged as baking, baking with kids, breakfast, brunch, buttermilk, chocolate, chocolate chip cookies, muffins, oatmeal, oats, quick bread, raspberries, raspberry muffins, recipe

October 22, 2010 · 12:41 pm

Pumpkin Nutella Bread

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Don’t you love it that you can mix together the same basic ingredients, but bake it in a loaf pan instead of a round pan, and you suddenly have bread for “breakfast”, instead of cake for “dessert” ?!

Add a couple of ingredients like Pumpkin and Nutella, and you’ve just added vegetables and nuts (ie protein!), and now you can really fool yourself into thinking that you are eating a balanced meal.

If you have never eaten Nutella, you are definitely missing out. It is a creamy, spreadable combination of ground hazelnuts and chocolate. Cooking with it leaves you with a great excuse to lick that spatula clean-just don’t do it when your kids are around, or there will be lots of tears when you don’t share.

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I brought this Pumpkin Nutella Bread, along with some banana and zucchini breads, to our Seminary class for breakfast this morning, and it was the first to go! Although at six in the morning, a class full of teenagers will eat just about anything sweet.

The batter is a basic pumpkin bread batter, with Nutella beat into part of it, and then swirled together in a loaf pan.

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The Nutella swirls were especially moist and rich!

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This was the first time I’ve tried adding Nutella to my pumpkin bread, but I will definitely continue making it this way from now on!

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RECIPE:

Pumpkin Nutella Bread

Servings: Makes 2 medium loaves
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4 eggs
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 cup melted coconut oil (or mild olive oil)
1 tsp vanilla
1 (16 oz) can of pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
¾ cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, and pumpkin until light and fluffy.

Stir together flour, baking soda and powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Stir into pumpkin mixture. Remove 2 cups of batter and place in a small bowl. Using the mixer, beat the Nutella into the batter in the small bowl until smooth.

Grease and flour two medium loaf pans (or make one large loaf and several mini loaves or muffins). Spoon half of pumpkin batter, and then half of chocolate batter into the loaf pans. Swirl with a butter knife. Repeat layers with remaining pumpkin and chocolate batters. Swirl again.

Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour, or until top of loaf springs back when touched gently (or toothpick comes out clean). Check bread after about 30 minutes: cover loosely with foil if it is beginning to brown too quickly.

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Tagged as baking, cooking, dessert, food, marbled bread, Nutella, pumpkin, pumpkin bread, quick bread, recipe