lego my eggo, i want homemade waffles

I have been on the hunt for a waffle iron for some time. Because let's face it: frozen store-bought waffles don't cut it. And I don't want to have to fork over cash to go out every time I need a waffle fix. Well, the gods shined upon me on Saturday when the Davis Square Goodwill had a waffle iron in excellent shape. Naturally I snatched it up, cleaned it up, and made sure it worked. I couldn't wait to try it out the following morning. It worked and made delicious 4" square waffles, enough for leftovers to keep in the freezer.

The idea of waffle batter doesn't vary much from pancake batter; though it tends to have more fat (from oil or butter) because it helps the waffles crisp up. It seems that traditional waffles are made by beating the egg whites separately from the yolks and then folded into the batter; this is supposed to create a fluffier waffle. Though if you don't eat eggs, this doesn't really matter.

What follows is a recipe that I adapted from two different waffle recipes I have. Since I've only made these waffles once thus far, I haven't really played with the recipe--I took the two recipes and tweaked the amounts prior to creation, based on what I thought would work best.

waffle batter
2 c all purpose flour
2 eggs or 2 Tbs cornstarch*
1 3/4 c milk or soymilk
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 Tbs turbinado or regular sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

* if using cornstarch, you may need to add an additional tablespoon of milk (or you can use water), depending on consistency.

1. Mix together dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Stir until well combined.
2. Let the batter rest while you preheat the waffle iron.
3. Make waffles according to manufacturer's directions. Remember to lubricate the iron with oil before spooning in batter (every time!)
4. Serve immediately or freeze for quick breakfasts.

Of course, feel free to stir in fruit--fresh, dried or frozen (thawed and drained)--nuts, spices, herbs (for a savory waffle; decrease sugar to 1 Tbs). And you can incorporate other flours, like buckwheat and cornmeal, for part but not all of the flour. Really, I think the variations on waffles is infinite.

PS. My next foray into waffles will be trying out Chandra Moskowitz's ("Veganomicon") recipe for Chocolate Beer Waffles. Yum!

better eating=smart shopping

Eating well doesn't have to be expensive. Sure it may cost a little more than eating ramen noodles three times a day, but your body and tastebuds will thank you in the long run. And yes you can even do this at Whole Foods.

1. Beans, pasta and grains. Beans (dried or canned) and grains, like brown rice and bulgur are great cheap buys that really fill you up. Check the bulk bin at your grocery store to get a steal on a variety of grains.

2. Keep convenience foods like frozen veggie burgers to a minimum. Yes they are super convenient, and I must admit that I like to keep a box of veggie burgers in my freezer just in case. Instead, keep a package of TVP (textured vegetable protein) in the pantry. When rehydrated it resembles ground meat and can be used in tacos, hashes etc (its more economical than the fake crumbles you get in the freezer section).

Try this simple veggie burger recipe that's made with ingredients you probably have sitting around.

1 14 oz can beans, like black or kidney
1 egg
1/2 c rolled oats
1 small onion
Dash of chili powder (or whatever spices you prefer).

Mix together in food processor until combined (but don't pulverize it). Chill, form into patties and then cook in a skillet. Eat straight away, or wrap in aluminum foil and freeze for a convenient meal.

3. When it comes to produce, buy seasonal. Seasonal produce tends to be in abundance and therefore cheaper. Also check out a local farmer's markets--they usually have steals. On Friday I got two big heads of red leaf lettuce and two tomatoes for $3.50. Another plus side to farmer's markets is that the products are usually local and super fresh.

4. Be smart. If your buying ingredients for a dish, think about how you will use the leftovers, if there will be any. Because if half a zucchini rots in your fridge, that's wasted cash. Also, when grocery shopping try to buy ingredients that go together; that way you won't get stuck at home with a full shopping bag and nothing to eat.

5. Substitute, substitute, substitute. Try to think of recipes as guidelines. If you don't have something for a recipe, think about what you do have or can get for cheap. The results may totally different, but who knows, you may discover something infinitely better. That's the joy of cooking!

tasty grilled tomato & corn salad

A trip to the Copley Square farmer's market in Boston created this light, fresh summery salad. The ingredients are fresh and in season, which means full of flavor. It's super easy to make and super tasty, either as a side to veggie burgers or tucked into a bean burrito as a sort of "salsa."

serves 3-4

2 ears corn, husked
2 plum tomatoes
2 Tbs parsley
1 Tbs freshly squeezed lime juice
kosher salt and black pepper

1. Grill the corn and tomatoes on a grill or with a grill pan (if you are one of the unfortunate souls who live in apartments and don't have access to/space for a grill). Turn the tomatoes frequently--you want the skin to blister but not burst. If you don't have a grill, you will want to fasten some sort of lid for the grill pan to lock in heat--I like a large metal mixing bowl.
2. Let the veggies cool. Meanwhile, chop up parsley and ready a mixing/serving vessel.
3. Dice the tomato and cut the corn off the cob.
>>>to cut corn off the cob. Stand the corn up on the cutting board on the flat side (where you pulled off the stem). Take a knife and cut down each side, deep enough to get whole kernels. Some of the kernels may stick together; that's okay, just separate them.
4. Mix all ingredients together and serve warm.

Alternatives:
-Substitute other herbs like cilantro, dill, etc for the parsley to take a whole different spin on the dish. Remember that different herbs vary in potency, so, like salt, always add less than you need--you can always add more.
-Use lemon juice instead of lime juice.
-Throw in other veggies like grilled zucchini, eggplant, onion.
-To make this a main dish, add black beans, some cubed feta and serve over romaine or spinach. Don't forget a few dashes of hot sauce!

SIDENOTE: Sorry there haven't been pictures of the last few entries--I mean to take pics when I make them, but then I end up consuming them first! I'll try to revisit these posts to add pics.

the lemon lady cocktail

Lemon and mint are a classic pair. So its not really a surprise that they work here. Vodka is a neutral spirit, so it doesn't interfere with the flavors. You may want to alter the amount of simple syrup, depending on how sweet you like your cocktail.

2 oz vodka
1 1/2 oz lemon juice
1 oz simple syrup
a few mint leaves

1. Muddle the leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker or glass. Add ice, vodka, lemon and simple syrup. Shake if you want bits of mint in your cocktail (it's really pretty!).
If you don't, stir the drink well, and strain into a chilled martini glass.

PS. You can cheat and use premade lemonade for this--I like Newman's Own (no artifical flavorings or corn syrup)--just add in place of lemon and simple syrup.

luscious lemon bars

the base
2 c all purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks cold butter, cut into small cubes
1/4 c brown sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish, and set aside.

2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor, and process until the mixture forms crumbs, and is well combined.

(Alternatively, if you don't have a food processor, or one that is large enough (which is my case) you can do this by hand. Just make sure the butter is cut into very small cubes. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Using your hands, break up the butter even further. Use your fingers to rake through the mixture, until you get small crumbs and everything seems incorporated. Really it's not that hard or time consuming.)

2. Press the mixture into a baking dish. You can use the bottom of a metal spatula to get it perfectly flat.
3. Bake for 30 minutes or until shortbread is golden brown. Meanwhile, make the filling.

the lemon goodness
4 large eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
3/4 c lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/3 c all-purpose flour

1. Whisk together eggs and sugar until well combined. The mixture will get kind of thick.
2. Sift flour into lemon juice. Stir into egg mixture.
3. When shortbread is done, remove from oven. Reduce temperature to 300F. Pour lemon/egg mixture over the hot shortbread. Put back in the oven for 20 minutes, or until mixture has set up.
4. Let cool before cutting. If desired, sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, or garnish with a few fresh raspberries. Store extras in the refrigerator (you can use wax paper to stack layers of bars).

SOME LAST THOUGHTS-
I've been thinking of twists on the classic lemon bar. I haven't tried these yet, so I'm not sure how they would taste. But I'm curious.
What I have so far:
-spread a thin layer of raspberry jam over shortbread before adding lemon mixture
-stir in minced mint or thyme into lemon mixture

bright blueberry muffins

I've been craving blueberry muffins lately, and when I saw some local blueberries on sale at Whole Foods, I knew it must have been fate.


Of course I had to try one, but the other 11 will get cozy in my freezer until they thaw to become the perfect on-the-go breakfast.

2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 c sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 egg or 1/4 c silken tofu
3 Tbs canola oil or butter
1 c plus 3 Tbs vanilla soymilk
1 c blueberries (fresh or frozen) **if frozen, do not thaw**

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a muffin tin, or line with paper cups.
2. Combine the first six ingredients in a large bowl.
3. Mix together egg (or tofu), oil, and soymilk in a smaller bowl.
4. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix lightly, just enough to incorporate ingredients. The dough should resemble thick pancake batter--add more milk or water if needed. Fold in blueberries.
5. Spoon batter into cups. To make 12 muffins, fill 2/3 of the way. To make 9 muffins, full cups almost to the top.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and muffins are cooked through.
7. Let muffins rest for 5 or so minutes. Enjoy right out of the pan, or transfer muffins to a cooling rack. When cool, wrap muffins in plastic wrap, place in zip top bag and freeze for future use.

'who needs takeout or delivery' pizza

Tuesday it was so hot that we couldn't bare to turn on the oven/stove top. So we picked up a pizza from a jocal joint around the corner. The results were pretty decent, but the whole time I was eating I couldn't help thinking how much better homemade pizza is, and how surprisingly easy it is to make.


(homemade pizza with sun-dried tomatoes, peppadeus, and goat cheese)

pizza dough
3 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp instant yeast
2 tsp kosher salt
1 c water (plus more if needed)
2 Tbs olive oil, plus 1 Tbs

1. Combine flour, yeast and salt in a bowl.
2. Add oil and water. Stir with a wooden spoon. If necessary add more water, a little at a time until the dough comes together. It should be moist but not sticky. If you overdo it on the water, just add a little flour.
3. Put remaining oil in a metal or glass bowl. Turn out dough into oiled bowl. Let rest for an hour, if you can.
4. After dough has rested, punch down and turn out onto a floured board, countertop, etc--I use a large cutting mat. (NOTE: You can wrap up the dough in several layers of plastic wrap and freeze at this point; defrost in freezer and bring to room temperature before using).
5. Cover with towel or plastic wrap and let rest for 15-20 minutes, while the oven preheats to 500 degrees. Meanwhile, prep sauce and toppings.
6. Form into rectangular or circular pizza (split into two or more pizzas, if desired), leaving a rim around the edge for the crust. Cover with sauce (see recipe below) and toppings of choice.
7. Bake on pizza stone or baking sheet. Cook ~15 minutes, or until crust has puffed, and is golden brown and delicious.

(NOTE: You can form the dough, and let the pizza chill out in the refrigerator if need be--just bring to room temperature before baking)

pizza sauce
1 can tomato sauce
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt & pepper (to taste)

1. Combine all ingredients. Taste and add any desired seasonings.
2. Spread a thin layer onto pizza dough.

Now its time to turn your kitchen in your very own pizzaria!