Richard’s Waffles

It seems that every family has some type of tradition around food. Richard’s Waffles are no exception! This family recipe has been passed down since the 1950’s and are a cinch to whip up anytime you’re craving something sweet and delicious. The waffle recipe comes from my BFF Judy, whom is Richard’s daughter. The recipe was given to Richard by his mother when he returned from his service time in the U.S Army in Alabama. He made these waffles for breakfast on Sunday mornings for his family and continued his waffle making tradition even after his daughters were grown and moved away from home. Judy still makes these for her family, and they’re really popular with her grandkids. I just made a batch of these for one of my friends and her small 4 year old son as they passed through Kentuckiana on a road trip to the south.

I am so thankful she shared this easy recipe with me. It’s remained a family favorite for Judy and her family, and now it’s popular with my friends and family, too.

Homemade Blueberry Sauce

Nearby, we have a blueberry farm where you can pick your own berries. This you-pick farm is pretty well known in the area, and I was excited to go there for my very first time this year. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the way blueberries grow, let me give you some information about the process. Blueberries grow on bushes and the bushes are not much taller than six feet at the most, because the farmers keep them well pruned. Blueberry bushes do not have thorns, so it makes them easy and pleasant to pick. The day we chose to go to the farm was a lovely, cool morning. It happened to be the first day the patch was open, so the bushes were loaded with berries. Lucky us!

There were lots of excited people picking their bounty of berries. I spoke with a man that was harvesting enough to freeze for his winter supply. He was definitely enjoying his time in the field. It’s ‘bring your own bucket’, which is weighed when you arrive and weighed again when you have finished picking your berries. Then you pay by the pound when you check-out. I certainly have a renewed appreciation for how much effort it takes to accumulate enough berries for a pie or cobbler, and I am so grateful to the farmers who grow and pick these berries to supply the entire country with blueberries. I will use some of these blueberries to make my very own homemade sauce, which I will pour over my favorite waffles. I truly loved the whole experience, and I will be going back in the future to get more fresh blueberries!!

Make good food with gratitude,

Becky

Richard’s Waffles with Homemade Blueberry Sauce

Yield:

• 5-6 waffles

Prep Time:

• 15 minutes

Cook Time:

• 5-6 minutes each

Total Time:

• 40-55 minutes

Waffle Ingredients:

• 1½ cups milk

• 1½ cups all purpose flour

• 2 large eggs

• 3 teaspoons baking powder

• 4½ tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)

• dash of salt

Waffle Directions:

Place the milk and eggs in the container of a blender. Blend until well incorporated. Sift flour and baking powder in a bowl. Add the flour mixture to the milk and egg mixture; blending until well incorporated. With the blender running, drizzle in the melted butter until all is mixed well.

Heat your waffle iron. Coat the waffle iron grids with cooking spray to prevent waffles from sticking. Use about ⅓ to ½ cup of batter or follow the recommendations from your waffle iron’s manufacturer. My waffle iron takes more batter, because it’s made for large Belgian waffles. This recipe works well for those too.

Remove waffles when they are done, and serve immediately, or place them on a baking sheet and keep them in the oven on a low temperature to keep warm.

These waffles freeze well in an airtight container or plastic bag. They will also reheat very well in the toaster.

I like to serve mine with fresh, homemade blueberry sauce and a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

Actually, any berries or fruits are wonderful served with these waffles, but my favorite is with my homemade blueberry sauce.

Homemade Blueberry Sauce Ingredients:

• 3 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

• 1 cup water

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• 1½ tablespoons cornstarch

• 3 tablespoons water

• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Homemade Blueberry Sauce Instructions:

Place 1½ cups blueberries in a small saucepan. Cover with one cup of water. Add the sugar and vanilla. Over medium-high heat, stir until the blueberries start to break open.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the 3 tablespoons of water, stirring to mix well. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.

Remove from heat and add remaining blueberries. Stir gently. Serve warm or cold.