Chocolate Waffles

I was looking for something to make breakfast special for my kiddos on Valentine's Day.  These were a perfect way to start the day and show my little ones a little extra love.

Ingredients
1c all purpose flour
1/2 c wheat flour
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 c cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 large eggs, beaten
4 Tbsp butter, melted & slightly cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 c buttermilk, room temp.
3/4 c mini chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat waffle iron.  Whisk together dry ingredients.  In a seperate bowl, mix together wet ingredients.  Mix wet and dry until just combined.  Add chocolate chips.  Cook until crispy.

Source
Annie's Eats

Notes
The batter seems way too liquid-y for waffle batter, but it turned out great!  Make sure to cook it long enough to get the crisp!

Gingerbread Waffles

Yum.  That's all I can say about these.  The texture was the best of any waffles I've ever made, and the taste was right on.  Slightly gingerbready without being super overwhelming.  Even my husband, who is not a gingerbread fan, said these "weren't too bad," which is high praise coming from him.  And there is nothing like waffles and eggs for dinner to make children sigh in contentment.  A+ all around. :)

Ingredients
2 c flour
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
4 large eggs
6 T unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 c milk
1/2 c sour cream
3 T unsulfured molasses

Directions
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.  Whisk wet ingredients in a separate bowl.  Combine wet and dry until just incorporated and cook on your waffle iron according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Source
Annie's Eats

Notes
If you want to make it a bit healthier, I saw an idea in the comments sections on the sources blog to switch the 2 cups of flour for 1 c wheat flour and 1 c cake flour to keep the same texture.

Lemon White Chocolate Mousse Berry Parfait

I made this in July for our Independence Day themed cooking club and boy was it delicious! I realize that summer is quickly coming to a close but if you have a little bit of warm weather for a BBQ left in your neck of the woods, this is the perfect light dessert. You are basically layering a lemon mousse and a white chocolate mousse with berries.

Ingredients

5 large egg yolks

1/2 c sugar

juice from 1 lemon

zest from 1 lemon

pinch of salt

1/4 c + 2 2/3 c heavy whipping cream divided

3.5 ounce white chocolate chips, or bars finely chopped

4-5 c assorted berries (I used raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries)

Directions

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice & zest, and salt constantly in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to thicken. It should read about 170 on an instant read thermometer. Place in a separate bowl to cool to room temperature, covering with plastic wrap that touches the surface so that a skin doesn't form. Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate and 1/4 c heavy cream together until incorporated, and remove to a separate bowl to cool to room temperature.

When both mixtures have cooled, whip the remaining whipping cream until it forms stiff peaks and divide between the two bowls. Fold until well incorporated in each. Layer the lemon mousse, berries, and white chocolate mousse in your serving containers and serve immediately, or refrigerated until ready to serve.

Source: Minimally adapted from Annies Eats

So Good They Taste Like They're Deep Fried Oven Fries

Whew! Yes that's a long title, but it is completely accurate. Every time I've made oven fries before they have been just ok. They're always a little mushy and they taste nothing like the deep fried sticks of artery clogging yumminess that you get at fast food joints. Not these. I followed this recipe and they came out perfectly golden and slightly crispy. These were a hit with the entire family!

Ingredients
russet potatoes, peeled and cut into fries or wedges
olive oil
cooking spray
salt and pepper

Directions
Soak potatoes in hot water for 10-30 minutes. Meanwhile spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Drain the potatoes and pat dry with paper towels. Toss with a small amount of olive oil and place on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover tightly with foil and bake in a 475 degree oven for 5 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 15-20 minutes. Flip the fries over and bake another 5-10 minutes until golden and crisp. When finished, place on a paper towel to drain any additional grease and serve.

Zuppa Toscana

I've been trying to find a good copycat recipe of my favorite Olive Garden soup for awhile now. This recipe is adapted from Annie's Eats and Copykat Recipes. Although it's been awhile since I've had this at the restaurant, I thought it tasted exactly the same as I remembered. So creamy and delicious! Philip thought it was a little bland but said he would enjoy eating it over and over again. Michaela ate the potato bits and tried to eat the liquid, but it's still a little hard for her. Considering how easy this was, this is definitely being added to my rotation of dinner regulars.

Ingredients

3 links sausage, cooked & crumbled

1/4 cup onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup white wine

2 cups chicken broth

4 cups water

2 potatoes, diced

1 cup kale, chopped

4 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled (optional)

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Saute the onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil until onion is translucent. Add the white wine and swirl it around a bit to deglaze the pan. Add the chicken broth, water, and potatoes. Simmer about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add the kale and cook until soft. Add the remaining ingredients and serve immediately.

Notes

• I don't think it matters too much what type of wine you use. I used a fruity Pinot Grigio, but I'm guessing a dry wine would work well too.
• I'm guessing this could be adapted fairly easily to the crockpot. If I were to try it, I would saute the onions and garlic, then brown the sausage in the same pan. Then I would put all the ingredients in the crockpot except the cream and cook on low for 3-4 hours, adding the cream right before serving. If anyone tries it this way, please let me know in the comments!