Food for Thought - Belgian Waffles

When we got married in the early 80s, one of our favorite gifts was a waffle-maker. While we were in school we used it quite regularly since waffles were a pretty cheap meal for us. I’ve blogged before about the Grinch Waffles and the shaped waffles that Princess loves to make for the kids. But nothing excites them more than to open the fridge and find a ½ gallon of buttermilk. At my house that can only mean one thing…Belgian Waffles!

We got our first Belgian waffle-maker about five years ago after we used one in a hotel during free breakfast hour and the kids just loved it. My sweetie bought a couple after that and we used them so much that we are now on our third and fourth irons. My sweetie said that if you are looking for an iron, don’t go for the cheap ones, they just don’t last, especially if you are making them by the dozens like we are at our house.

For most of us, our favorite way to eat them is smothered with fresh whipped cream and strawberries. But the Prima Donna doesn’t like strawberries, even if they are drenched in a sweet glaze, so she puts syrup on hers…and fresh whipped cream. I know, eeewww! We borrowed our favorite recipe from the Food Network, but my sweetie couldn't resist making changes of his own. He puts in a little extra sugar and instead of half wheat and half white flour he uses one part wheat and three parts white. You really could go all wheat or all white if you wanted to. Oh, and he said to tell you to be careful with the cooking spray. Too much and they aren’t crispy…too little and they stick.  Hope you love them! They are one of our favorite treats.

Belgian Waffles

2 cups whole-wheat flour
6 cups white flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp baking powder
4 tsp salt
12 whole beaten eggs
8 ounces unsalted butter, melted
1/2 gallon buttermilk
vegetable spray

Preheat your waffle iron.  Beat eggs and butter until combined. Then add buttermilk.

Add dry ingredients (my sweetie cheats because we have two mixer bowls).

Allow to rest for five minutes.

I'm not sure why we don't have any pics of the irons themselves, but they are the kind that you flip half way through. Just follow the cooking instructions on your own waffle irons.

Clean a couple of boxes of strawberries. Add a package of strawberry glaze if desired. (They are good without it too.)

You can use Cool Whip, but beating your own cream just takes a minute and it is better and cheaper. Beat a half pint of cream with a couple of tablespoons of powdered (or regular) sugar and then add a tsp of vanilla at the last minute. (Tupperware makes an amazing tool called a Whip n Prep. I had never actually whipped cream until I got one of those and it takes about one minute to come up with this!)

Then all you have to do is eat it! So much for New Year's Resolutions...