The Waffle Maker

I don't even know how it came up in conversation. Maybe Jack, Engineer John, and I were bemoaning the hot weather and we were thinking of snow to cool us off. Somehow, we got on the topic of being snowed in at the station. With the exception of one, maybe two, snow storms, I've spent every storm at the station for the past 5 years. I've become rather adept at making breakfast for the snow team while answering the snow closings hotline, if I may say so myself. Since we can't be home with our families when it's snowing, I do my best make it homey and fun for the team. During the blizzards, Jack, Engineer John, Board Operator John, and I were snowed in for almost six days together.

"You know, guys, for our next snow storm I'm thinking we need a waffle maker," I thought out loud.

I don't really remember Jack or Engineer John saying much. That's the tricky thing with guys. Sometimes, it's hard to tell when they're tuning you out and when they're actually listening and not responding. This time, Jack and John were listening all right. My birthday was Saturday and Friday, Jack and John presented me with...A WAFFLE MAKER! Not only the waffle maker, but everything I needed to make waffles.

For them.

For dinner.

That night.

Classic!

If I was smart, I would have made them make ME waffles, but then I wouldn't have been able to play with the waffle maker. I've got to say...this thing is pretty cool. The handle rotates and everything. As far as gadgets go, this one is pretty sweet and user friendly. I made waffles using recipe on the Bisquick box for the first batch. This morning, I made waffles for my family. I found a recipe for chocolate waffles that I tweaked to get in some more fiber and whole grains. The verdict from my family? They heart the waffle maker and these waffles in a big way. We topped our chocolate waffles with a berry syrup that we made while the waffles were cooking, plus some more fresh berries and whipped topping. YUM. Here's the recipe for the chocolate waffles and the berry syrup to go over them.

Whole Wheat Chocolate Waffles

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup flax seeds (optional)
1/4 cup wheat germ (optional)
1/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbls vegetable oil (or melted butter)
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions
Sift the flour, salt, cocoa, cinnamon and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in the sugar, flax seeds, and wheat germ. Add in remaining ingredients and stir until combined and smooth. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.

Make waffles according to your waffle maker's instructions. Waffles should cook for 3-5 minutes. Serve with fresh berry syrup or desired toppings.

Fresh Berry Syrup
2 pints berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, etc)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp water

Cook on medium high heat for 5 minutes until berries break down and release their natural juices. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with water and add to bubbling berries. Cook until thickened.