Waffling
Waffles are a Sunday morning staple for my family. I have a fabulous two-sided flip waffle maker that I love which makes it possible to churn out a whole stack of piping hot waffles in a very short amount of time. Sometimes we use a prepared mix and other times we make ‘em from scratch. But, no matter how they come into being, everyone in my family can make a mean waffle.

Deciding what kind of waffles to make, however, can be a source of tension.

For the most part, the kids don’t care what flavor the waffles are as long as they magically appear, but they do have their preferences. My daughter is a fan of pecan waffles. These require toasting some pecans, chopping them up, and throwing them in the batter. When cooked and doctored up just right, they kinda taste like pecan pie. Lately, the boys have been partial to blueberry waffles. I take dried wild blueberries and reconstitute them in hot water for about 10 to 15 minutes, drain them and throw them into the batter. The dried wild berries provide a more intense blueberry flavor than fresh.

For me, I have gone to the savory side as of late. I have been especially fond of my recipe for Cheesy Cornmeal Waffles (with some cheddar cheese and green onion mixed in and sometimes crumbled bacon). For some bizarre reason, I find that they are fantastic with butter and syrup—and even better topped with some fried chicken for dinner.

My husband though is not a fan. He’s a waffle purist…so boring!

Cheesy Cornmeal Waffles Recipe
Yields approximately 8 regular or 4 Belgian-style waffles

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
1-1/2 cups milk, warmed slightly
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced green onions
Cooked bacon, crumbled (optional)

Directions
Prep the waffle iron
Heat your waffle iron on the medium-high setting.

Make the batter
Begin by separating the eggs, warming the mild, and melting the butter.

Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a large bowl until well blended.

Whip the egg whites to soft peaks.

Add the egg yolks, milk, oil, melted butter, cheese, and green onions to the flour mixture and stir together.

Fold in the egg whites.

If needed, add another splash of milk to thin the batter. Don’t worry if there are lumps, but it shouldn’t be too thick.

Make the waffles
Pour about 1/2 cup of batter onto the hot waffle iron and bake until they are golden and crisp. Serve hot.