Pumpkin Waffles

Finally, I get to add a recipe from one of my favorite people, Renee H!  She and I worked together in a church calling for several years, and she's just about one of the sweetest women I know.  And a fabulous cook, to boot!  When she told me about these pumpkin waffles, I knew I wouldn't rest until I tried them myself.

Divine.  What better hot breakfast can you have on a cold October morning than one that makes your whole house smell like a bakery?  My kids loved 'em, too, and they've been permanently added to our Saturday morning breakfast choices.  Enjoy!

If only you could smell this picture: it's what heaven smells like . . .

I can't even stand the clipart I found to make this recipe card.  Isn't she the cutest little waffle you've ever seen?

Buttermilk Waffles

This has been my number one waffle recipe for about six years now.  It makes quite a bit of batter (enough for about 30 square waffles, I'd say), so I like to cook the last few batches until they're barely golden brown, then freeze them and use 'em later for a rushed morning when my kids can pop them in the toaster.  They are ten times more delicious and twenty times more healthy than Eggos.

Also, since I discovered kefir, I never use buttermilk or have to mix milk with vinegar (Click here for my What is Kefir? post).  They make the waffles so moist and yummy!

Belgian Waffles

When I went to my first year of college, my grandma bought a Belgian waffler for me to take along.  Not only was I grateful . . . I'm sure my roommates were as well, because Belgian waffles and apple pie were the only two things that I learned to make from scratch that year (just the essentials, peeps--I'm ashamed to admit how many Totino's pizzas I consumed freshman year).  Whenever we had boys over to our apartment for date night, Belgian waffles were invariably on the menu.

The recipe I used back in (gasp!) 1997 was not this recipe.  It was good, and it did use yeast (an essential ingredient for authentic Belgian waffles) . . . but it wasn't as totally fail-proof and delicious as this recipe.  These waffles are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.  Crispaliscious.

My kids only want syrup on their waffles, which to me is a waste of a good Belgian.  You can't go wrong with fresh strawberries and whipped cream (peaches are equally delicious).  This time, I made a fruit compote with frozen raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.  I sprinkled a tiny teaspoon of sugar on about two cups of frozen fruit and heated it in a lidded saucepan on low while the waffles were proofing.  It tasted heavenly.