Brown Butter Vanilla Waffles

The 6 year old wasn’t feeling so good this morning. He slept very late and I let him because one day he won’t be able to just sleep in when he’s under the weather. But when you’re 6? That’s definitely allowed. After a slow start to the day and getting little brother to school, the 6 year old and I decided waffles were in order! Don’t tell anyone, but I love waffles WAY more than pancakes. No contest. Unless the pancakes are from Snooze in which case I want them all. Maybe it has something to do with how the syrup pools in the little squares. Or how the outside gets so nice and crispy. Or how you can break them into tidy little triangles. Whatever it is, I am here. for. it.

Disclaimer: These waffles are not “health food”. They have half a stick of butter in them and I’m not sorry because if you’re going to eat waffles you might as well do it right. Are you with me? They don’t have a ton of sugar and I did use a bit of whole wheat flour, but mostly for flavor so don’t get too excited. Or get REALLY excited because you’re gonna love these forever and ever amen.

OK- no more delaying. On to this perfect waffle recipe! Make them for your family. Make them for friends. Make them for houseguests and don’t forget the coffee! Also, they freeze beautifully so don’t be afraid to double the recipe and freeze what you don’t eat. Just pop them in the toaster and you’re golden!

Brown Butter Vanilla Waffles

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 1/3 cup whole wheat flour

• 4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 eggs, beaten well

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 1 3/4 cups milk

1. Begin by browning the butter. Add it to a saucepan over medium heat. The butter will melt, then start to sputter and foam, then it will all settle down and the milk particles will start to turn golden brown and a nutty aroma will fill your kitchen. Keep an eye on the butter through this process so it doesn’t burn! Stir occasionally, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. Transfer to a heatproof liquid measuring cup and set aside.

2. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk and vanilla. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Pour in the browned butter and stir until incorporated.

4. Preheat a waffle iron. They’re all different. I set mine to a medium temperature, but you do you Boo Boo!

5. Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter in the center of the waffle iron. Keep the waffles warm in a 200 degree oven until ready to eat. Serve with more butter (because #yolo) and syrup. And coffee. Lots of coffee. Enjoy!

Savory Corn Pancakes with White Cheddar & Rosemary

I'm back home after a brief but wonderful trip to Crested Butte where all I had to do was take care of myself and the dog. It was magical. Really. I don't remember the last time I had so few responsibilities. I meant for the trip to be a sort of work retreat as well, but I left my charger for my laptop at home (perhaps that was on purpose?) and instead spent time sitting in a hot tub gazing at a 360 degree view of the mountains, drinking wine, and sitting in front of the fireplace drinking hot cocoa and reading. It was rough. I can tell you feel really bad for me.

It snowed the first full day of my stay and I loved every second and every snow flake. The photo above is what it looked like the following morning. The brightest blue sky, snow capped mountains, and bright yellow bursts of aspen groves. Perfection.

No matter how long I'm away from my own kitchen, it takes me some time to get back into the swing of things. Today I eased back into my cooking routine by whipping up some savory corn pancakes with fresh rosemary and sharp white cheddar cheese. Topped with honey and a little butter, they were perfect for a slightly chilly fall morning. Riley LOVED them. And so did I. They will definitely be making another appearance at our table. Perhaps next time they will be a dinner item topped with a little chard and a poached egg. I think yes.

Now, don't go telling too many people about this, but I used a boxed mix for cornbread as the base of this recipe. Shocking, I know.

The great thing about these pancakes is that you can make them into waffles, or you can add different flavors like feta cheese and fresh thyme, cheddar cheese, jalapeños and cilantro, or any other combination that strikes your fancy. Just remember to toss your add-ins with the dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients. They will be more evenly distributed that way and you won't have to over-mix your batter.

Savory Corn Pancakes with White Cheddar & Rosemary

Ingredients

• 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• walnut or canola oil for cooking
• honey
• butter

Instructions

1. Pour the cornbread mix into a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together.
2. Toss the shredded cheese and rosemary with the dry ingredients.
3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. The batter will be lumpy but that's OK.
4. Grease a large pan or griddle with a little of the walnut or canola oil and heat over a medium-low flame. The pan is ready when drops of water evaporate almost immediately when splattered in the pan.
5. Use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop batter into your prepared pan. Cook until the edges of the pancake are dry and small bubbles rise to the surface. Flip and cook an additional 2 minutes. If the first pancakes becomes too dark or not dark enough, adjust the heat as necessary.
6. Serve drizzled with honey and topped with a touch of butter.