Whole Wheat Waffles

I love whole wheat waffles!! But sometimes they can be heavy. These aren't - they're fluffy & light; crispy on the outside, tender & soft inside. Just perfect. :)

We had these this morning for our Easter Saturday celebration. I like mine with butter, berries & powdered sugar. We also had strawberries, whipped cream, and syrup. I had to make 2 batches to satisfy my family!

I hope you enjoy these as much as we did!

Whole Wheat Waffles
Adapted from Betty Crocker's "Mom's Best Waffles"
Prep time: 35 mins Servings: 6

2 eggs
1 3/4 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 cups whole wheat flour (you can also use all-purpose)
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Toppings, as desired
fresh berries
whipped cream
powdered sugar
butter & syrup

• Heat waffle maker.


• In a large bowl, beat eggs until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients (liquids first, then dry ingredients) just until smooth.


• If necessary, brush waffle maker with vegetable oil or spray with cooking spray before batter for each waffle is added.


• Pour about 1/2 - 3/4 cup batter from cup or pitcher onto center of hot waffle maker. (Check manufacturer's directions for recommended amount of batter.) Close lid of waffle maker.


• Let cook about 5 minutes or until steaming stops (or until indicator on your waffle maker shows waffle is done). Carefully remove waffle. Repeat with remaining batter.

Nutrition Info: 1 Serving: 380 calories (from fat = 200); total fat 22g (sat fat 4g); cholesterol 75mg; sodium 480mg; total carbs 38g; dietary fiber 1g; protein 9g

If you're making a large batch ahead of time, preheat your oven to 275*F. Place a foil-lined cookie sheet in the oven. As you remove each waffle from the waffle maker, place it on the cookie sheet & leave the cookie sheet in the oven. The waffles will stay warm & crispy until you serve them.

You can set out a waffle bar, buffet style. Warm a platter (in the oven beforehand) for the waffles and set out toppings in bowls. Everyone can make their own.

Healthier Recipe:

For 7 grams of fat and 255 calories per serving, substitute 1/2 cup fat-free cholesterol free egg product (like EggBeaters) for the eggs, use fat-free milk and decrease oil to 3 Tbsp.

Chicken Taco Ring

This recipe came from The Daily Smash

Our entire family enjoyed it. There is another one of these on our blog that I made a while back and it is a Chicken Brocoli Ring. We enjoyed both of them, but my kids raved more about this one when dinner was over. My 5 year old saw the olives and tomatoes go in and said yuck, I'm not eating that, but by time it was all cooked, she enjoyed it.

Chicken Taco Ring
2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls
1/3 cup finely crushed tortilla chips
2 cups finely chopped rotisserie chicken (I used chicken boiled in broth)
3/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, undrained
1/4 cup chopped pitted ripe olives
1 plum tomato, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 tablespoon lime juice

1. Grease a 12-in. pizza pan. Unroll crescent dough.

2. Lay the crescent triangles in a circle with the wide end being in the middle and the pointed end going out. Lightly press wide ends together.

3. In a small bowl, combine the chicken, cheese, mayonnaise, chilies, olives, tomato, taco seasoning, lime juice and tortilla chips. Stir until all is combined.

4. Spoon the chicken mixture in a circle over wide ends of dough. Fold points of triangles over filling and tuck under wide ends (filling will be visible).

5. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with sour cream, salsa, tomatoes and lime. (I didn't garnish with anything. We just served this with a salad.)

We made the TOP 5 on "Sweet as Sugar Cookies"

We made it to the Top 5 on Sweets for a Saturday at http://sweet-as-sugar-cookies.blogspot.com/!! Woohoo!!

Hop on over there to check out some more ideas for Easter treats & some mouth-watering recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Chocolate Chip Blondies (half whole wheat flour)

These blondies are one of our favorite treats!! The combination of butterscotch with chocolate chips plus the buttery taste is divine. I cut the recipe out of Sunset Magazine YEARS ago (maybe 9 or 10 years?) so I can't give the exact issue.

I've taken these to potlucks, given them for Christmas gifts, taken them to sick friends' families as a dinner treat, and baked them for family & friends for years - I always get the question "Can I get the recipe?!?" LOVE that!

I also like that they're made with half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour. Not that a bit of whole wheat flour makes up for the butter & the sugar & the butterscotch or chocolate chips, mind you. :)

I hope you enjoy these!!

Chocolate Chip Blondies

Prep & cook time: about 1.25 hours
Makes: 24 blondies

3/4 cup butter, at room temperature (softened)
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour, finely ground
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (about 3 ozs)

• Preheat oven to 350*F. Butter (use butter, not cooking spray, if you can) a 9x13" baking pan; set aisde.


• In a bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat butter, white sugar, & brown sugar until smooth. Add vanilla & eggs and beat until well blended.


• Stir in flour, salt & baking soda until well combined.


• Stir in butterscotch & chocolate chips and the walnuts.


• Spread dough level in pan. (It's thick so take your time & spread it evenly)


• Bake 30 minutes until top is browned and a wooden skewer inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached.


• Cool on a rack for 15 minutes, then cut into 24 squares.

NOTE: As it cools, the center will sink a bit.

We like this warm with ice cream or a cold glass of milk, but you can serve these warm or cold.

Store in an airtight container or tightly cover your baking dish with cling wrap.

Chicken Corn Chowder with Broccoli

Is anybody else stuck in stormy, grey weather?? We sure are here in Utah! For me, that means warm & cozy dinners that fill you & warm you up from the inside. This Chicken-Corn Chowder definitely hit the spot!

Except for the toppings & fresh broccoli, this recipe is made entirely from my food storage. I love that since I always have the ingredients on-hand. The broccoli is optional, but for us it's one of the best parts of the chowder. You can also leave the chicken out and make this chowder vegetarian.

I posted this recipe once before, but I've tweaked it a bit recently. This is the new (and better, according to my family) recipe.

Chicken Corn Chowder with Broccoli
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
water
2 12oz cans evaporated milk
2 Tbsp dried minced onion
2 large potatoes, cooked & cubed or sliced OR 2-3 14.5oz cans cubed or sliced potatoes
2 14.5oz cans creamed corn
1 14.5oz can fresh corn
1 12.5oz can chicken, drained OR 1-2 cups fresh cooked & cubed or shredded chicken
1 16oz pkg frozen broccoli, thawed (or cooked) & drained OR 1 large head fresh broccoli, cooked
salt & pepper, to taste

Toppings:
grated Cheddar cheese
green onions, chopped
bacon, cooked & crumbled

• In a bowl, whisk together 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour and 1/3 cup COLD water. Whisk until smooth & completely incorporated. Set aside.


• In a 4-cup measuring cup, pour 2 cans evaporated milk and add water to equal 4 cups liquid total. (It's about 3 cups evaporated milk & 1 cup water)


• In a large pot or dutch oven, pour milk/water mixture. Over medium heat, bring almost to a boil. Whisk in flour/water mixture. Cook until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes.


• If using fresh broccoli: While the milk/water/flour mixture is cooking, trim broccoli stems & cook florets in boiling water for about 4-5 minutes.


• Stir into milk/water/flour mixture, minced onion, potatoes, creamed corn, fresh corn, and chicken. Mix completely, stirring gently. Turn heat down to LOW. Stir in broccoli once it's cooked & drained. Add salt & pepper to taste.


• Put the lid on and cook on low for about 10 minutes.


• Serve topped with grated cheddar, chopped green onions, and bacon.

We like this with a chunk of warm French bread on the side. Enjoy!!

Overnight French Toast Bake with Berry Sauce

I got this recipe from Betty Crocker's "Most Requested Recipes" cookbook. It was a hit with the family so this will become a tradition for those days when we want something ready to go in the morning. A dish I can just pop in the oven, bake & serve.

The berry sauce recipe came from Betty Crocker too, but from one of their recipe magazines. (I cut it out & have no idea what the magazine's title was!) The sauce is completely optional. I love it, but my family prefers powdered sugar or syrup.

This is easy & delicious. In fact, my teenage girls did the "night before" prep and my hubby made the fruit sauce the next day. Enjoy!

Overnight French Toast Bake with Berry Sauce
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Start to Finish: 4 hours 50 minutes minimum
Servings: 8

French Toast Bake:
12 cups cubed (1 inch) soft French bread (about 13 ozs) - I used a french loaf from my grocery store - do not use the ends of the loaf
8 eggs
3 cups half-and-half (you could use plain milk, but it's soggier after you bake it & not as rich)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon (I double this because we love cinnamon!)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla

Berry Sauce:
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup orange juice
1 12oz bag frozen unsweetened mixed berries
3 cups fresh strawberries, cut into quarters (or just use your favorite berry like raspberry, blackberry, etc)

• Spray bottom & sides of 13x9" (3 quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Place bread cubes in baking dish.


• In large bowl, beat eggs, half-and-half, 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, salt & vanilla with wire whisk until smooth. Pour mixture over bread cubes. Press cubes lightly into egg mixture & turn over any pieces that are still dry on one side. You want each bread cube to be coated with the egg mixture.

• Cover tightly; refrigerate at least 4 hours but no longer than 24 hours. I like to do this before I go to bed & bake it first thing in the morning.

• Preheat oven to 400*F.


• Uncover dish; bake 25-35 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean.

• While French Toast Bake is baking: In 2-quart saucepan, stir together 1 cup sugar and cornstarch. Stir in orange juice until smooth. Stir in mixed berries.


• Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly.


• Cook about 6 minutes, stirring constantly, until topping is slightly thickened. Remove from heat.


• Just before serving, stir strawberries (or your favorite berry) into topping. Serve warm over French Toast Bake.

Because I'm allergic to strawberries, we used raspberries in our berry sauce - YUM!!

This berry sauce is so good over cake!! Pound cake, angel food cake & chocolate cake are our favorites. It freezes well too. I pour it into a ziplock bag after it has cooled & seal it tightly. It stays good in your freezer up to 3 months.

The French Toast Bake is delicious with syrup and powdered sugar, but if you have a good powered sugar glaze recipe that is amazing too! We like this as a side for eggs too.