A long time ago in a town not so far away, Michael and I got our first waffle iron. As I recall it was a wedding present from our friend Jon, or maybe a Christmas present. But, since it was a piece of equipment like our fondue pot (from a cousin) and a sandwich maker (no idea) it mostly languished in the appliance garage above the refrigerator.
Later on we occasionally made waffles the old fashioned way from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook: milk, flour, beaten egg whites, milk, 1/2 cup oil. They were good, but a pain (getting out the mixer to beat the egg whites? cleaning the waffle iron?). We made them enough so that the first waffle iron fell apart and we bought another one (a Belgian style one, which was OK, but I preferred the square one).
Fast forward a few years. We have always had "breakfast for dinner," in fact, we did it so regularly that one time one of my kids told me, "Did you know that some people have PANCAKES for BREAKFAST?!?" When Amanda couldn't eat wheat we ate a delicious gluten free mix from Arrowhead Mills. After a while, I wanted more interesting dinners, so we started making waffles as well. We have freshly ground whole wheat flour (it makes such a big difference) and the kids were big enough to assist with beating the eggs and mixing things together.
We had a few problems, though. For one, the waffle irons had been contaminated through the years with egg and dairy, and I didn't really believe that we could get enough off to make them safe for Amanda. For another, one of the waffle irons didn't keep an even temperature and the other was falling to pieces. For yet another problem, making waffles for 5 people with one waffle iron is slow and laborious.
So when Michael found a double waffle iron on sale at BJs, he bought it. Although I was immediately skeptical (it looked humongous! where would we put it?) we cleared out room. After making waffles for dinner a few times we started freezing the extras for breakfast, and then we started making entire batches to freeze for breakfast.
I love this. The waffles are vegan (see this recipe, Best Vegan Waffles Ever) and so don't have the protein from eggs. They do have whole wheat flour, soy milk, and almost no sugar. The best part is that I am no longer responsible for making sure the kids actually eat breakfast. They come downstairs, go eagerly to the freezer, get out their own waffle (and maybe one for their sibling) and toast it up, lightly for Luke and darkly for Amanda.
We do have to make a new batch of waffles every few days, though. Last night when the kids mentioned to Michael and me that we needed new waffles, I said jokingly, "Well, you'll have to help clean up the kitchen so we can make them." "Okay!" they responded immediately, and with enthusiasm. And they did help, although they needed to be reminded to not get distracted a few times. The kitchen got clean and the waffles got made. Once when I was very busy but we needed waffles Amanda cooked them by herself. Any time the kids get invested in their own upkeep works for me.
If someone had mentioned the idea of freezing waffles for breakfast to me a few years ago, I would have thought that that might work well for Martha Stewart, but not for real people. What a lot of work, I would have thought. It just goes to show, you never know what ideas will work for you at what time. When we were married, a waffle iron was too much work. Now, it makes lots of other things easier.
Later on we occasionally made waffles the old fashioned way from the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook: milk, flour, beaten egg whites, milk, 1/2 cup oil. They were good, but a pain (getting out the mixer to beat the egg whites? cleaning the waffle iron?). We made them enough so that the first waffle iron fell apart and we bought another one (a Belgian style one, which was OK, but I preferred the square one).
Fast forward a few years. We have always had "breakfast for dinner," in fact, we did it so regularly that one time one of my kids told me, "Did you know that some people have PANCAKES for BREAKFAST?!?" When Amanda couldn't eat wheat we ate a delicious gluten free mix from Arrowhead Mills. After a while, I wanted more interesting dinners, so we started making waffles as well. We have freshly ground whole wheat flour (it makes such a big difference) and the kids were big enough to assist with beating the eggs and mixing things together.
We had a few problems, though. For one, the waffle irons had been contaminated through the years with egg and dairy, and I didn't really believe that we could get enough off to make them safe for Amanda. For another, one of the waffle irons didn't keep an even temperature and the other was falling to pieces. For yet another problem, making waffles for 5 people with one waffle iron is slow and laborious.
So when Michael found a double waffle iron on sale at BJs, he bought it. Although I was immediately skeptical (it looked humongous! where would we put it?) we cleared out room. After making waffles for dinner a few times we started freezing the extras for breakfast, and then we started making entire batches to freeze for breakfast.
I love this. The waffles are vegan (see this recipe, Best Vegan Waffles Ever) and so don't have the protein from eggs. They do have whole wheat flour, soy milk, and almost no sugar. The best part is that I am no longer responsible for making sure the kids actually eat breakfast. They come downstairs, go eagerly to the freezer, get out their own waffle (and maybe one for their sibling) and toast it up, lightly for Luke and darkly for Amanda.
We do have to make a new batch of waffles every few days, though. Last night when the kids mentioned to Michael and me that we needed new waffles, I said jokingly, "Well, you'll have to help clean up the kitchen so we can make them." "Okay!" they responded immediately, and with enthusiasm. And they did help, although they needed to be reminded to not get distracted a few times. The kitchen got clean and the waffles got made. Once when I was very busy but we needed waffles Amanda cooked them by herself. Any time the kids get invested in their own upkeep works for me.
If someone had mentioned the idea of freezing waffles for breakfast to me a few years ago, I would have thought that that might work well for Martha Stewart, but not for real people. What a lot of work, I would have thought. It just goes to show, you never know what ideas will work for you at what time. When we were married, a waffle iron was too much work. Now, it makes lots of other things easier.
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