Polly's A-Waffley Bad Blogger...!

Okay, so I'm a bad blogger! I haven't put pen to paper, metaphorically speaking for months on end. Perhaps this has something to do with my return to work back in May? Or maybe I've just lost the knack? Personally I think it's got more to do with my addiction to Facebook!

I tried tweeting for a while. Actually I quite enjoyed writing updates in 140 characters or less, in the beginning, but I soon got bored with it. Facebook is definitely my favourite form of micro-blogging. What I like about it is the fact that it's interactive, whereas blogging tends to attract the occasional remark - if you're lucky! Fair enough, maybe my copy should be more interesting and uplifting, surely if it were I'd get loads of remarks. Wouldn't I?

I don't know the answer to that one. What I do know is that if one neglects their blog, they sooner or later lose their readers. I mean, why on earth would anyone follow a blog that's not active? I know from personal experience that it's easy to lose interest if your favourite blogger doesn't blog - I won't mention any names, but the guilty will probably know exactly who they are! Anyway, enough of the waffle...

Speaking of which Lidl, the eponymous discount store ran a special on waffle makers a while ago. Seeing as I am a big fan of these light, fluffy batter confections I rushed home with one and eagerly made up my first batch. The result? Absolutely revolting, they ended up in the bin!

Luckily my now 13year old LB took matters into his own hands recently. Having demanded that I Google 'the perfect waffle recipe' a simple breakfast waffle was chosen from the Mr Breakfast.com site. As luck would have it the recipe was entitled Best Ever Waffles Ever and my kitchen turned happily into an impressionist version of the preverbial bombsite.

The inaugural waffle was dreadful. So much so that even the dogs turned their noses up at it! This was probably something to do with the fact that the recipe site had suggested the waffle maker wouldn't need to be oiled. I'd passed this information on without first checking the instruction booklet and true to form the first waffle had stuck, burnt to a crisp and failed to rise. Plus it was raw in the middle!

Having very carefully de-crisped the machine with a sharp knife (not to be recommended), placed some damp kitchen towel between the irons and steamed the mess off, LB tried again. Only this time he lightly oiled the irons...

Best Waffles Ever (5 servings)

• 1 and 3/4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 beaten egg yolks
• 1 and 3/4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 egg whites - beaten stiffly

Mix all dry ingredients. Combine yolks and milk. Stir into dry ingredients. Stir in oil and mix. GENTLY fold in beaten egg whites, do not over mix.

Pour about 1/2 cup at a time into waffle iron.

 

The result: wonderful! Well, nearly wonderful. Considering that my youngest chose to follow the recipe to the letter, using a small blue and white cup rather than a proper measuring cup, plus the fact that he beat the egg yolks and stirred in the whites it was a specially good attempt at making waffles.

Okay, the mistake with the eggs might have resulted in disaster, but, thankfullyt it didn't. So what if the resultant waffles were a little, well, flat! Served on their own they were delicious. Served with maple syrup they were divine. My only complaint? I'd to share them with the rest of the family...

Sadly there are no photos. This is due to the fact that Miss Piggy here ate them all before it was possible to get any shots in. Needless to say, LB's discovered a new family favourite and the fun hasn't stopped there and for some strange reason I seem to have put a few pounds on over the holiday season.