Just a recipe for the best waffles EVER!

Waffles.  And bacon.

Last time, I wrote about my bridal/wedding shower.  The waffle maker was the first thing we broke out of the box.  So far, it's been used to make ham and cheese paninis and three types of waffles.

"Three?" you ask, incredulously.

Well, maybe five... but three batches, for sure!

Let's just say my dear husband is very happy about the decision to put the double waffle maker on the registry!

See, sometimes I see a recipe and make it as directed (or approximately as directed) the first time, but feel free to wildly experiment the next time.  And I keep pushing the envelope until it no longer tastes delicious.  The healthy and delicious point is the sweet spot for which I aim.

So, I started out with our handy dandy red Betty Crocker cookbook, but the recipe is actually available online, too.  The first time, I did my basic switches:  added some vanilla and did half whole wheat flour and half all purpose - and added a little milled flaxseed to test it out.  The second time, I did that and I used coconut oil - and made half of the batch with chopped walnuts.  The third time was my boldest yet - and probably where I'll let it rest.  And that's what I'll tell you about today.  I'll also let you know how to avoid my little mistake.

Now, I don't actually know how many grains something needs to be considered "multi-grain," but this one has two!  I busted out the food processor attachment of our new blender and made oat flour, which I've been reading about for ages, but unable to make because I didn't have a food processor!  I made the mistake of thinking that 1 Cup of rolled oats would also equal 1 Cup of oat flour, but it doesn't quite - it's about 1/4 Cup off, so you need to put 1 1/4 Cup rolled oats in to make 1 Cup oat flour.  I threw a spoonful of all purpose in and called it a day.

So here's the scoop (and my altered BC recipe):

Ingredients

2          eggs

1          cup whole wheat flour

1          cup oat flour*

1          tablespoon sugar

6.5       teaspoons baking powder**

1/4       teaspoon salt

1 3/4    cups milk

1/2       cup coconut oil***

2          tablespoons milled flax seed****

Vanilla extract to taste - probably about a teaspoon

1/2 cup (full batch) or 1/4 cup (half batch) chopped walnuts, optional

Directions

1. Heat waffle iron.  (For those of you who don't use your waffle irons often, all I do is turn it on just before I start mixing and it's ready about the time I'm ready to pour the batter in!)
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs with wire whisk until fluffy.  Beat in remaining ingredients until smooth.
3. Pour slightly less than 3/4 Cup batter onto center of hot waffle iron.  (Your waffle maker has a specified amount somewhere in the manual.  I saw a bunch of teenage boys make one explode once by putting in far too much batter.  Cleaning waffle/batter off of the ceiling is a task and a half... especially if you're trying to hide it from unsuspecting parents!)
4. Our waffle has a timer that lets us know when it's done, but the BC recipe says to make about 5 minutes or until the steaming stops.
5. Remove and eat.  Or, if you're like me, try to save some, let them cool, and put them in individual baggies, freeze, and toast them the next time you want one!

Makes approximately 6 waffles!

Nutritional Information:  Calories - 356, Carbs - 41g, Fat - 23g, Cholesterol - 23mg, Protein - 10g, Sodium - 630mg, Fiber - 4g, Sugar - 5g.

*Oat flour directions a la one time experience:  Put 1 1/4 Cups old fashioned rolled oats into your food processor and pulse until it looks like flour.  Tada!

**The original recipe calls for 4 teaspoons of baking powder, but my research has shown that the lack of gluten makes the waffles rise less, so adding 2.5 teaspoons of BP per cup of oat flour will yield the correct results!

***If you're not familiar, coconut oil is cholesterol free and pretty amazing stuff.  Google it.  The only little issue you could run into here is that it melts at 76 degrees Fahrenheit.  That means that if your home is climate controlled (not like our poor old apartment), yours probably will need to be put in the microwave to melt - it doesn't take long, maybe thirty seconds - before you put it in the bowl.  It also gives just a hint of coconut flavor and makes the whole thing even more delicious!

****Also amazing for you.  I've read that the milled stuff is better, health wise, because our bodies can't break down the outer shell to access the nutrients, but milling them exposes everything!  Keep refrigerated!

This is totally worth the time, in my opinion.  I think the next time I spy almond milk on sale, the 1% cow's milk might have to be replaced just to try it!  :)

Oh - topped with real butter and maple syrup and served alongside some real bacon has been my favorite way to eat them so far!

An adult...

You should really see this with its hover text.

I'm 25 years old, married, have two part time jobs, and (at least partially) manage a household.  Every day I struggle with the reality that I am, by all practical definitions, an "adult."

"Really?" my mind always balks, "You're a 'grown up?'"

I can't put a finger on why this doesn't seem real, but every day I wonder something different along these lines.  For example, I found myself eating Cap'n Crunch for breakfast a few weeks back.  "Is this something an adult does?"  Well, if I'm an adult, then I guess that's a resounding, "Yes!"

In case you didn't know, this comic is the reason my blog is called Playpen Balls.

And so, since I've been having trouble writing lately - much less posting - here is a list of what an adult (not necessarily me) does/has/is.

An adult...

• always has the ingredients on hand to make chicken noodle soup in case someone is sick - or just needs chicken noodle soup.
• makes his/her/their bed.
• remembers to feed the cat.
• remembers to water the plants.
• cleans out the shower drain.
• can throw together spaghetti  in no time flat because he/she has canned sauce and pasta in the cabinet.
• wears deodorant.
• attempts to look presentable when leaving the house.
• keeps on top of the laundry.
• doesn't let dishes pile up.
• makes his/her decisions.
• writes thank you notes in a timely fashion.
• knows when to share.
• remembers to ask people about their loved ones.
• sleeps in maybe two days a week.
• wakes up for alarm clocks.

There are more things, obviously.

But here's the deal:  I am an adult.  I don't do all of these things.  I hope I do someday, but I don't know that I can every be the vision of perfection I have in my mind.  I know that not every other adult does/has/is all of these things and that we all have our failings.

I am also acutely aware that I wasn't actually raised to be who and what and how I am today.  I, in most ways, am totally making it up as I go merrily along.  I get lost, frustrated, and discouraged.  But there's something to be said for having amazing people by my side.

This weekend, I was blessed to have four people in my life - a great aunt, an old family friend, my mother-in-law, and one of my best friends - throw a wonderful little bridal shower for me.  Thanks to the generosity of our family and friends, along with a little help from the magic internet fairies at Bed, Bath, & Beyond and Amazon's registry sections, I now feel ever-so-much more equipped to handle this chapter of my life.  I can bake with my new bread pans, cake pans, and a boatload of Pyrex.  I can cool those baked goods with awesome racks.  My roast meats will now roast properly on a rack in a roasting pan!  I can have a smoothie tomorrow if I want to because we received a blender.  Our new towels are going to make us - and our guests feel comforted, as well as dry.  Our lovely new sheets are going to handle bleaching and hold up to the gentle cycle.  Our double waffle maker is quick and amazing.  Our someday-children are going to be popular because of it.

And do you know what?  Knowing that I have the means to make more things happen is really comforting.  Knowing that I can pretty much follow any recipe ever without needing to modify it to fit the neads of a girl going without is really cool.

I've also thought a bit lately about who I was just four years ago.  One of m best guy friends and I used to have discussions about who would get married when.  We knew one of our group would be first.  Neither of us could have dreamed that I'd be next.

Life isn't the contest we once imagined it to be.  It's a river we're all going down.  Sometimes we fall out of the boat we've had and have to swim along the waters or walk along the shore.  Having a good crew is vital.

I'm so glad to be where I am, to have who I have, and to possess what I do - physically, mentally, and spiritually.

"There's bound to be rough waters
And I know I'll take some falls
But with the good Lord as my captain,
I can make it through them all."- "The River," Garth Brooks  ((Give it a listen!))