Classic Belgian Waffles

Classic Belgian Waffles
Adapted from Waring Pro Waffle Maker Guide

Classic Belgian waffles have a crispy outside and are soft and moist on the inside. They are often served as part of a celebration, or in the Wallick household, just a regular Saturday or Sunday morning :). Try tehse waffles with your favorite maple syrup or flavored syrups (hit up Trader Joe's for some yummy ones) or a topping such a sliced fresh strawberries and freshly whipped cream.

Makes 10 waffles

1 1/2 cups water
2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast (one packet)
3 cups sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, separated + 1 egg white
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups whole milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Heat 1/2 of the water to lukewarm, 105-110 degrees F. Dissolve the yeast in the water with a pinch of the sugar from the recipe. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, until the mixture begins to foam.

Put the flour and salt into a large bowl. Stir to blend and reserve. Add the egg yolks, one of the egg whites, and remaining sugar to the yeast mixture; stir to blend. Add the remaining water, milk, melted butter, oil, and vanilla.; stir until the mixture is smooth. Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture and beat until the mixture is smooth.

Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites gently into the batter. Let the batter stand for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Preheat your Waring Pro Belgian Waffle Maker on setting 4, 5 or 6. I use setting 6 because my husband loves the crispy exterior. Green indicator light will be illuminated when preheated.

For best results, do not open waffle maker during cooking process. Doing so will offset the timing mechanism.

Use the measuring scoop to measure the batter and pour 3/4 cup of batter into the preheated waffle iron. Use a heatproof spatula to spread the batter evenly over the grids. Close lid and rotate wafflemaker 180 degrees to the right. Bake the waffles in the waffle iron until the beeper indicates that the waffle is done. Rotate wafflemaker 180 degrees to the left. Remove waffle and repeat until all batter is used. Waffles may be kept warm in a 200 degree oven. Place waffles arranged on a cookie sheet on a rack in a warm oven. Serve with whipped cream, fruit, jam, powdered sugar, or a warm fruit syrup.

Yummy!

Tomato Bisque- More Winter Soup Favorites

This is my favorite tomato soup recipe by far! I have made it since college, and it always turns out well every time! For sake of experimentation, I have tried several other recipes, but nothing ever comes out and tastes as good as this one. The true beauty of this recipe is that it can be made with ingredients found in your pantry.

I always serve this soup with a French herb bread made in my bread machine. I will post the recipe soon.

Tomato Bisque
Adapted from Necessities and Temptations

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup chicken stock
2 14 1/2-ounce cans Italian plum tomatoes, reserve juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 whole bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Melt butter in pan. Add onions and saute until transparent.
2. Lower heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly. Add milk and chicken stock. Whisk until smooth and thick.
3. Puree tomatoes in blender. I use an immersion blender, and puree in the stock pot/dutch oven, leaving some small chunks.
4. Add puree, including juice, to flour mixture. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer 45 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Remove bay leaf and serve. Serve with cracked pepper and parmesan. (Serves 6)

Variations: (1) Serve with a pasta dish. (2) Buy a loaf of Frenchbread. Cut and toast with butter. Serve as large croutons with soup. (3) Use slices of French bread and cheese slices to create grill
cheese. Serve grill cheese with soup.

Chicken Noodle Soup- Comfort Food for the Soul

As a kid, I always ate Campbell's Chicken and Stars condensed soup from a can. The older I got, the more refined my tastebuds grew! I switched to Progresso canned soup when in a pinch. As an adult on my own, I found this fantastic recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup. Making your own stock makes the world of difference! I make this soup often, even more in the winter, and I absolutely love it! My husband, who doesn't find chicken noodle soup to be the kind of comfort food I do, swears by this soup as the "Million Dollar Chicken Noodle Soup".

If you plan to make your own stock, use the recipe included with the lentil sausage soup on my last post. It's fanatastic and store bought chicken broth cannot even compare!

If you do use store bought chicken broth, I recommend using Swanson's Organic Low-Sodium chicken broth, making sure to season with salt and pepper at the end so you don't over salt your soup.

Chicken Noodle Soup
Adapted from Tyler Florence

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped medium
  
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 3 celery ribs, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 quarts chicken stock, recipe follows
• 8 ounces dried wide egg noodles
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions

Place a soup pot over medium heat and coat with the oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for 5 minutes until tender. Fold in the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.

Barefoot Contessa's Lentil Sausage Soup

In the search for a healthy but tasty soup for the snow storms in DC, I came across this fantastic recipe for lentil sausage soup! Of course, I made several adjustments, noted below.

This stew is very forgiving, and you could easily add potatoes, diced tomatoes, etc. If you add tomatoes, I suggest adding a teaspoon of brown sugar to balance out the acidity. I used two different types of sausage and doubled the amount called for. You can always use chicken or turkey sausage to make it more healthy.

Ingredients

• 1 pound French green lentils (recommended: du Puy)- generic green lentils work just fine
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for serving
• 4 cups diced yellow onions (3 large)
• 4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts only (2 large leeks)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (2 large cloves)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 3 cups medium diced celery (8 stalks)
• 3 cups medium diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
• 3 quarts Homemade Chicken Stock, recipe follows, or canned broth
• 1/4 cup tomato paste- I added the whole can
  
• 1 pound kielbasa, cut in 1/2 lengthwise and sliced 1/3-inch thick- First time, I used beef sausage and hot chorizo.
  
• 2 tablespoons-1/2 cup dry red wine or red wine vinegar- to taste
  
• Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions

In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.

In a large stockpot over medium heat, brown the cut sausage on both sides, about 10 minutes. Remove sausage and place on paper towel lined plates to drain. Set aside.

Heat 2 TBSP olive oil along with the browned fond and oil left behind from the sausage over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, leeks, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, smoked paprika, bay leaf and cumin for 8-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for another 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender. Check the seasonings. Add the kielbasa and red wine and simmer until the kielbasa is hot. Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

Chicken Stock:

Adapted from Tyler Florence

• 1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), rinsed, giblets discarded
• 2 carrots, cut in large chunks
• 3 celery stalks, cut in large chunks
• 2 large white onions, quartered
• 1 head of garlic, halved
• 1 turnip, halved
• 1/4 bunch fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• Old Bay Seasoning to taste- if making chicken noodle soup with broth
  

Place the chicken and vegetables in a large stockpot over medium heat. Pour in only enough cold water to cover (about 3 quarts); too much will make the broth taste weak. Toss in the thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns, and allow it to slowly come to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and gently simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, partially covered, until the chicken is done. As it cooks, skim any impurities that rise to the surface; add a little more water if necessary to keep the chicken covered while simmering.

Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board. When its cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones; hand-shred the meat into a storage container.

Carefully strain the stock through a fine sieve into another pot to remove the vegetable solids. Use the stock immediately or if you plan on storing it, place the pot in a sink full of ice water and stir to cool down the stock. Cover and refrigerate for up to one week or freeze.

Crockpot Creations: Pot Roast with Root Vegetables

Pot Roast with Root Vegetables
Serves 8
Adapted from Tyler Florence

1 (3 to 4 pound) piece beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup water (I prefer to use low-sodium beef broth or dry red wine)
2 red onions, halved
2 garlic cloves, chopped
8 carrots, sliced (I use 1 bag of baby carrots)
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 cup button mushrooms, stems removed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves

1) Season all sides of the beef with a fair amount of salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot that has a tight cover, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately high heat. Brown the meat on all sides, taking the time to get a nice crust on the outside.

2) After browning beef on all sides, remove roast from dutch oven, and place in slow cooker. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to dutch oven and return pan to medium high heat. Add carrots (1 package baby) and mushrooms, cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.

3) Remove browned vegetables from skillet and place in slow cooker insert. Add 1 cup of beef stock (substituted for the cup of water) and crushed tomatoes to skillet as to deglaze the pan by bringing the broth to a simmer and scraping up any browned bits. Pour liquid into slow cooker adding the onions and four quartered potatoes.

4) Make sure to scatter the vegetables and herbs around the pot roast, season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Cook the pot roast on low for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fork tender.

5) Slice the pot roast and arrange on platter surrounded by the vegetables. Serve with the pot juices.

Crockpot Creations: Hearty Beef Stew

Slow-Cooker Hearty Beef Stew
America's Test Kitchen
Serves 6 to 8
Advance Prep Time: 1 hour
Slow Cooker Time: 9 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high

It is important that the potatoes be 2 to 3 inches in diameter (about 5 oz each) so that they cook at the same rate as the other vegetables in the slow cooker. If you like your stew a big thicker, don't add more flour (which will taste pasty), but rather mash some of the potatoes into the stew before serving.

1 (5-pound) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
Salt and pepper
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped medium
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dry red wine
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups low sodium beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
2 pounds red potatoes (6 medium), scrubbed (see note above)
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1) Dry the beef with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium high heat, until just smoking. Brown half of the beef, about 10 minutes, then add to the slow cooker. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and repeat with 2 more teaspoons vegetable oil and the remaining beef.

2) Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil to the empty skillet and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds. Stir in the wine and tomato paste, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer until the wine is reduced by half, about 3 minutes, then pour into the slow cooker.

3) Add the chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups of beef broth, the bay leaves and thyme to the slow cooker. Nestle the potatoes and the carrots into the slow cooker around the edges. Cover and cook, either on low or high, until the meat is tender, 9 to 10 hours on low or 6 to 7 hours on high.

4) When the meat is tender, remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board to cool slightly. Discard the bay leaves. Set the cooker on high (if necessary). Whisk the flour with the remaining 1/2 cup beef broth until smooth, then stir into the slow cooker. Quarter the potatoes and return to the slow cooker. Stir in the peas. Cover and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened and no longer tastes of flour, 15 to 30 minutes longer. Before serving, stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serving suggestion: serve with crusty French bread and a green tossed salad.

Crockpot Creations: Weeknight Chili

With a busier schedule this fall and winter, I have turned to my trusty old friend, the CrockPot to save the day! Over the next few weeks, I will try and post several of my new favorite slow cooker recipes.

Slow-Cooker Weeknight Chili
America's Test Kitchen
Serves 6-8
Advance Prep Time: 30 minutes
Slow-cooker time: 6 to 7 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high

This recipe uses 1/4 cup chili powder, which sounds like a lot. However, after 6 to 7 hours in the slow cooker, the heat diminishes and becomes mellow and smooth. For a spicier chili, increase the cayenne and serve with hot sauce.

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped medium
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped medium
1/4 cup chili powder
1 Tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds (85 percent lean) ground beef
1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 (15.5 oz) cans red kidney beans, rinsed
Pepper

1) Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook for 15 seconds.

2) Add the beef and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.

3) Stir in the tomato puree and diced tomatoes with their juice, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer, and then pour into the slow cooker.

4) Cover and cook, either on low or high, until the meat is tender, 6 to 7 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high. Stir in the rinsed beans during the last hour of cooking. Before serving, season with salt and pepper.

5) Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped onions and corn bread.