You have to try this, tomorrow!

I don't have pictures, but you can use your imagination for this one.

Cut some bacon into smallish pieces, cook in a pan until crispy and then drain on some paper towels. When cooled, chop finer.

Add 1 teaspoon of yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar to 1/2 cup warm water (105 degrees), let it sit to activate and get frothy.

In a large bowl, sift:
1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Separate three eggs and whisk the whites until they form stiff peaks. Set aside.

Add yeasty water, about 1 cup of buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of melted butter and egg yolks to the dry ingredients, mix. Fold in the egg whites gently. Cover and set aside for up to an hour to rise.

Heat your waffle iron, spray with oil, put in a scoop of batter, sprinkle with chopped bacon and cook.

These are great served with a little butter and maple syrup.

YUM!

Pumpkin Waffles

Ok, I guess it's that time of year---I have pumpkin on the brain. I know that pumpkin scones are good and the pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World are amazing. So, when I saw this recipe for pumpkin waffles on Smitten Kitchen, I knew I had to try it. Waffles and pumpkin? Two things I love come together here in a very delicious way. These waffles are sweet and decadent---kind of like eating dessert for breakfast, which is just fine by me.

I suggest adding chocolate chips to individual waffles by dropping the chips onto the batter just after you put in the waffle iron, then covering them lightly with more batter. I also recommend adding chocolate chips as a topping like Amber does (one chip in each square). These waffles would be fantastic with whipped cream. I had peanut butter, pumpkin butter, Greek yogurt and maple syrup, but with these you can pretty much get away with plain, too. You can also save any extra waffles by wrapping them in twos in plastic wrap and then storing them in a freezer bag in your freezer for a few weeks.  The next time you want waffles, grab two and pop them in the toaster. Way better than Eggo.

Pumpkin Waffles
~Print Recipe~

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I want to try substituting some whole wheat flour next time, a la Patty)
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
• 1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 of a stick) unsalted butter, melted
• Cooking spray for waffle iron

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, pumpkin and butter. Separate egg whites into a separate small bowl and set aside. Add egg yolks to the buttermilk mixture and whisk until smooth. 
3. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the buttermilk mixture and whisk until just combined.
   
4. With an electric mixer, beat egg whites until they form soft peaks. Carefully fold egg whites into the batter, until just combined. 
5. Heat waffle iron(s) while batter rests.
   
6. When the irons are hot, spray waffle iron lightly with non-stick spray (and again before each new waffle). Using a measuring cup, quickly spread an even layer of batter over the iron (adding chocolate chips, if desired) and cook until crisp and golden brown.  Serve immediately, or allow to cool and then freeze.
   

Patty's Famous Sunday Waffles

Waffle Sundays: better than church! Not every Sunday was Waffle Sunday, but waffles were always on Sunday. The waffles were the star, but typically my mom would also make delicious potatoes and serve sausages or other sides. It was always a feast, whether there were four people or 20. Mimosas pair well with Waffle Sundays.

Waffles are delicious, but they merely serve as a canvas for the toppings. Most people, waffle virgins I'll call them, don't know how this works. They add butter and syrup and think they are done. But not at my house.

Topping offerings usually look something like this: butter, peanut butter or even better almond butter, real maple syrup, vanilla yogurt, bananas, other season fresh fruit, chopped almonds or walnuts, shredded coconut, chocolate chips and whipped cream. (I'm sure I'm leaving something out.) My mom even used to add cream cheese, until she decided it was a little too much.

This version of Patty's Famous Sunday Waffles has been updated to include tips from an article that Patty sent to me years ago. This recipe will serve 3 to 4 people; you may want to double it for larger groups.

• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon sugar

1. Whisk together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate medium bowl, mix buttermilk, milk, oil, vanilla and only the egg yolks. Reserve egg whites in a separate small bowl.
2. Beat egg whites until soft peaks begin to form. Sprinkle in the sugar and continue beating until white and shiny and stiff peaks form.
3. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Carefully fold in egg whites a couple dollops at a time. Let stand about 5 minutes. Plug in your waffle iron(s) and let them heat up while the batter rests.
4. Make sure to lightly spray your waffle irons with non-stick spray before the first waffle and again after every other one. I think it's best to leave the waffles in the irons even after they say they are done, to get a crispier, golden brown waffle.
   
5. How to prepare the prefect waffle (carefully developed over a lifetime): One hot waffle. Base layer of peanut butter or almond butter. A thin layer of vanilla yogurt. A liberal application of maple syrup. Sliced bananas or strawberries, a sprinkle of chocolate chips, shredded coconut. A good layer of whipped cream. Finish it off with a dusting of finely chopped nuts. Enjoy.

*We usually serve the waffles as they are ready (2 or 4 at a time, depending on how many irons you've got going), but the article suggests heating your oven to 200 degrees and leaving them directly on the rack in a single layer for 5 minutes (up to 20) so that they can all be served at the same time. This will also help the waffles to be crispier.