Foodie Friday: Great Grandma Clara's Spice Nut Waffles

Best waffles ever! They might take a little extra time but they are worth it.

I have one solid memory of my Great Grandma Clara, when I was about 6 years old. Sitting outside at a white metal table (the cute decorative ones that seat like four people) and looking at Clara, who I didn't know at all, sitting in her chair with tubes in her nose. That is it. But every time we eat her amazing waffles I send a little love up her way and thank her.

I haven't actually made this recipe before myself. I just haven't had to. It has been a staple at my Mom's house over the years, a go to for special occasion breakfasts. But just last Monday I made waffles out of a box and got to thinking. They were terrible. Really bad. Like fluffy cardboard. (Yes that is a thing.) I realized that I never made the waffles because my mom always said that they took a little extra time. So  I looked in my family cookbook and saw that the extra time she spoke of was whipping egg whites. Really Mom.... That's it? I will whip egg whites all day long as long as I don't have to eat cardboard waffles again. So here it is the extremely long and tedious process. (NOT!)

 Whip the egg whites. (Don't forget to save the yolks!)

 Mix together the dry ingredients.

 Add in the milk, egg yolks, and melted butter.

 Fold in the pecans and egg whites. (I used walnuts this time, any soft nut will work and be delicious.) For anyone who doesn't know, folding in the egg whites means mixing them as gently as possible so you lose as little of the air you whipped into the egg whites as possible. One technique is to drag your spatula through the middle of the bowl rotating it under the batter and then folding the batter over the top of the mixture. Continue until fully combined.

 I didn't put the nuts in till i cooked half the batter because my odd husband likes nuts but doesn't like nuts in things. (Weirdo) My waffles took about 3 1/2 min to cook but that will vary based on your waffle iron.

So delicious! I doubled my batch and cooked 24 waffle squares, so a single batch will do about 12.

Spice Nut Waffles

2 cups flour
3 T sugar
1 t salt
3 t baking powder
1 t nutmeg
1 1/2 t cinnamon
2 eggs, separated
1 3/4 cup milk
4 T melted butter
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

Whip egg whites stiff. Set aside. Mix dry ingredients. Add milk, melted butter and egg yolks. Fold in egg whites and chopped nuts gently. Cook in a piping hot waffle iron. Devour.

End of story...

P.S. If it was unclear in the recipe the big T is tablespoons and the little t is teaspoons.

**UPDATE**
This is a slightly embarrassing update and a little funny too. My big sister, after reading the blog, text-ed me to tell me that the memory I have couldn't have happened because Great Grandma Clara died before I was born. Apparently I was thinking of Great Grandma Helen. Well I was 6 what can I tell you... Anyway I still love her for her amazing food and Grandma Helen too.

DIY Thursday: Fourth of July Wreath

I made this wreath last year.  It was my first wreath I ever made.  It was really easy and fun to make.  I love the combination of our nations colors.  All you need a foam wreath, white, blue, and red yarn, and white buttons.

Wrap blue around the wreath, then wrap white and red around the wreath.  Then glue the white buttons on. 

Wildcard Wednesday: Hi I'm New!

Hey all. My name is Leanne Smith and the lovely and very Talented Terrace Girls have agreed to take me on as a guest poster to see if I am up to snuff to join the terrace gang. So hopefully in a month I will be a full fledged Terrace Girl but for now I am just a girl with a dream. A dream to share with all of you out there the pinspired (look I invented a word) and chaotic life I live.

So I am not a particularly crafty person. Like at all. Not a huge fan of ribbons and bows, I don't make any centerpieces for holidays. I would call myself a low budget huge impact crafter. I want the most bang (meaning tons of compliments) for the little buck that I am willing to spend.

I also tend to be a functional creator, I will always go for the idea that will make my life a little easier rather than the wreath that I will take out and use a month out of the year.

I am obsessed with caramel and will choose it over chocolate, peanut butter, or marshmallow any day of the week. (Teresa has been the willing recipient of many of my caramel experiments, and can vouch for me.)

And while I am currently in a house surrounded by boys, my two little monsters and their daddy, I currently am expecting a little girl. (Yay me!!) But I am a little scared. Having gotten very comfortable in the world of cars, trains, dragons, and dirt, I am not quite sure how to transition into bows and tutus. Hopefully being surrounded by these amazing women I will have the strength to find my inner princess, and be able to share with you some of my adventures on getting there.

Can't wait to share more with you and explore myself a bit also in the process.

Sweet Tooth Tuesday: Nutella Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

The other day when I was at Sam's Club I grabbed a big thing of Nutella.  I don't know why because I had never had Nutella before (yes, I have gone almost 30 years without trying it....)  Well...I tried and I liked it...big surprise, I'm sure.  The only problem is I have a huge thing of it......so I am trying to find ways to use it.  I found this super yummy recipe...and I may have eaten half the cookie dough before it madeit to the oven.....

Chewy Nutella Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

from: A Kitchen Addiction

Ingredients

• ½ C butter, softened
• ½ C brown sugar
• ⅓ C sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ C Nutella
• 1½ C all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp unsweetened baking cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ C peanut butter chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray or line with a baking mat.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars. Add in egg and vanilla and beat until creamy. Beat in Nutella until combined, scraping down sides as needed.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and beat until just combined.
4. Stir in peanut butter chips.
5. Drop by tablespoon full onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges are set. Centers will look slightly under done.
6. Allow to cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

Munchkin Monday: Tinkerbell Day

 

A few years ago  Last week my daughter LOVED Tinkerbell! So I decided to plan a play date with a friend to celebrate Tinkerbell! 

First thing I did was make each of the girls satin skirts with pointed bottoms to look like the bottom of Tinkerbell's dress. Cut the satin 2 times the width of your child's waist sew the back seam and the elastic casing at the top. When you cut the points for the bottom of the skirt you need to melt the edges so it doesn't fray. Light a candle and go to town melting the edges :)

Then I made a felt pouch to carry their fairy dust in. Strangely I had a couple of glass vials which I put glitter into. I just drew the shape of the pouch I wanted and then blanket stitched to outside edges.
Then the girls went outside and made fairy houses!

Watched the newest Tinkerbell movie.