Wishing You the Peace and Joy of a New Year

It is a treat to have Mr. C home in so many ways: Waking up to the of the light the morning. Reading the paper in the keeping room sipping a mug of tea.  Sweet Girl lounging on her cozy bed. Peace and quiet.  Eating breakfast when we are hungry rather than grabbing a bite before hurrying off to work.  

Mr. C wanted waffles this morning. Crispy, fresh, waffles to start the new year.  Crispy little pockets to soak up warm maple syrup. Freshly made waffles to smother in blueberries simmered with butter, sugar and honey. And not wait until pictures are taken to eat breakfast . . . so here is the only picture.

I discovered this recipe a few weeks ago when I couldn't locate my old Favorite Waffles recipe that came with the waffle iron. I am glad the old recipe went missing. The new recipe is even better.  


Light, Crisp Waffles

3-1/2 oz. (3/4 cup) bleached all-purpose flour
1 oz. (1/4 cup) cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup milk
6 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large egg, separated
1 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Heat the oven to 200°F and heat the waffle iron. Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Measure the buttermilk, milk, and vegetable oil in a Pyrex measuring cup; mix in the egg yolk and set aside.
2. In another bowl, beat the egg white almost to soft peaks. Sprinkle in the sugar and continue to beat until the peaks are firm and glossy. Beat in the vanilla.
3. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until just mixed. Drop the whipped egg white onto the batter in dollops and fold in with a spatula until just incorporated.
4. Pour the batter onto the hot waffle iron (mine takes about 2/3 cup) and cook until the waffle is crisp and nutty brown (follow the manufacturer's instructions for timing at first and then adjust to your liking).
5. Set the waffle directly on the oven rack to keep it warm and crisp. (We split each waffle and ate it as soon as it was cooked.)
6. Repeat with the remaining batter, holding the waffles in the oven (don't stack them). When all the waffles are cooked, serve immediately.
   Pamela Anderson
   From Fine Cooking 47, pp. 62-65,  November 1, 2001

Happy New Year, my friends.

Fresh Cranberry and Crystalized Ginger Scones

Winter holiday season is always filled with programs and concerts, enough to fill more free time than anyone has.  Last week was the community band's 10th Annual Christmas Spectacular. We are a collection of amateur  musicians and music teachers who enjoy making music and giving back to the community. All of our concerts are free.  The Mississinewa Valley Band Christmas Spectacular is our best-attended concerts. Community folks attend as well as vans full of people from retirement homes. 

I needed to make some last minute cookies for the Christmas concert, something different than the usual homemade cookies most of us bring.  Christmasy red cranberry scones were perfect.

 Scones are always a favorite, especially with fruit.  We have been on a blueberry and orange scone binge since fresh blueberries were available this summer.  Mixing in frozen blueberries into the dough makes it an almost unworkably stiff dough. I was ready for something easier to make.

When I saw Gena's recipe at A Bluebonnet in Beantown for scones using fresh cranberries, I knew I had to try them. The recipe notes the dough is sticky. It is. A scoop rather than a biscuit cutter worked fine.  The two-bite scones were perfect for a cookie tray.  Of course, we wanted some too. The bigger scoop was about the size of the small biscuit cutter.  

They are so yummy, one must have two, with coffee or tea!

 These Cranberry and Crystalized Ginger Scones keep better than any other I have made. The fresh cranberries must absorb some of the moisture, the crystalized ginger gives a little kick, and the flavors meld to yield a buttery scrumptious flavor.  Gena's recipe goes into my 'keep' file.

French Toast

A little sweet roll dough that just fit into a small loaf pan was left last week.  It is always a treat one way or another.  Sometimes I slice it and toast in in a skillet with a little butter.  It's good warmed with buttercream frosting, too. Love those bedtime snacks.

Breakfast was a more substantial today because Mr. C is home. (Wednesday, I am catching up!). Me likes bigger meals than I need to stick to my weight loss plan. He gets the blame if I gain weight those days, hehe.

This morning I defrosted the little cinnamon loaf to make French Toast.   Cracked open two eggs, added some half-and-half I am trying to use up, and the last of the milk, a little salt and freshly grated cinnamon.

Fried in in a little butter. 

 Okay, a lot of butter, didn't want it to stick. Grin.

My most important decision in eating any food is asking myself, "Is it work the calories?"  Pancake syrup is always "no".  Real maple syrup, on the other hand, is a spirited "YES".

It's a rare weekday when we are able to eat breakfast together.  

What a beautiful way to start the day.  

It's so good to have you home, Honey!