Waffles (of Insane Greatness)

I'm awake much earlier than need-be today (by my own mis-calculations), so I thought I'd share a great breakfast recipe in honor of having extra time this morning. Usually, waffles, pancakes, eggs, etc. actually aren't typical items on our breakfast menu. It is certainly not that we don't enjoy them. It is more of a time issue than anything else. I am not a morning person, and I can promise you that I typically don't get up any earlier than need-be =)

These waffles came about this past weekend when my husband woke-up craving waffles. I originally bookmarked this recipe from Finding Joy in My Kitchen, however I think it originated here from the foodnetwork.com. There are a few differences between the 2 recipes listed, and we ended up using the version from Finding Joy in My Kitchen with the exception of using all-purpose flour as that is what I had in the kitchen. I found it interesting that there was cornstarch in the batter as I have never seen this before?

It was a little difficult to wait 30 minutes for the batter to set-up, but these waffles are definitely the best homemade version that we've made thus far. We both like our waffles to be crispy on the outside and many of my homemade attempts have ended up with soggy waffles. These were nice and crisp with a great "crust" on the outside. I'm not sure if it was the downtime factored into the recipe, the cornstarch, or something else in the recipe, but these waffles just worked. If you are looking for something to fill-up your 30 minutes of down-time, try out the berry sauce that SnoWhite suggests in her post. I mixed-up some with the strawberries and blueberries that we had in the fridge and am absolutely doing this again next time we make waffles. Yum!

Are they of insane greatness? I'm not sure, but they are absolutely going into my make again file at our house. Enjoy!  

(Printable Recipe)

Waffles (of Insane Greatness) with Berry Sauce
Adapted from foodnetwork.com and Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Ingredients:
Waffles:
3/4 c. all-purpose flour (white whole wheat)
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk (I used skim)
1/2 c. buttermilk
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 egg
3/4 tsp. vanilla

Berry Sauce:
1 c. berries (any types; can also use peaches, etc.)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar (or more depending on the sweetness of your berries; can also use honey)
2 Tbsp. water
1-2 tsp. cornstarch (I used 1-1/2 tsp.)

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just slightly lumpy. Allow the mixture to sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Meanwhile, place the berries in a medium saucepan. Add the brown sugar, water, and cornstarch, and stir until combined. Heat over medium heat until bubbling slightly and sauce begins to thicken. Turn heat down to keep sauce warm.

Preheat your waffle iron. Ladle the batter into the waffle iron and cook according to the manufacturer's directions. Serve warm with the warm berry sauce or with butter and syrup.