Menu Monday: What's for Breakfast?

I noticed the other day that it had been quite awhile since I shared any breakfast recipes with you.  Generally, my breakfast includes a vegetarian sausage link (no, I'm not actually a vegetarian, reread Friday's blog, but I do like these little sausages. . . and I'm getting my veggies in:-)  sort of), one cup of multi-grain Cheerios, and one cup of milk. 

But, on the weekend, or any day that Hubster has off from work, we have a 'Real Breakfast.'  We'll make anything from scrambled eggs, to french toast, breakfast burritos or strombolis to. . . .

Belgian Bacon Waffles

2-1/4 cups water (divided)

3-1/2 tsp active dry yeast (1-1/2 packets)

4-1/2 cups sifted flour

1/3 tsp salt

6 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup sugar (divided)

12 Tbsp unsalted butter (melted and cooled)

3 tsp vegetable oil

3 tsp vanilla extract

2-1/4 cups 2% milk
2 slices cooked bacon for each waffle
butter
maple syrup

Dissolve yeast with 1 cup of warm water and add 1/4 tsp of the sugar. Let mixture stand 5 - 10 minutes until it begins to foam.

Separate eggs, reserving whites in medium bowl to set aside and dropping yolks into large bowl.   Add the yeast mixture and remaining sugar to egg yolks.  Stir to blend.  Add remaining water, milk, melted butter, oil, and vanilla - stir until smooth.  Sprinkle salt over the mixture and add flour.  Beat until smooth.  Set aside.

Beat egg whites in their own bowl until stiff peaks form; fold gently into batter.  Let the batter stand for one hour, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, have a cup (or two) of coffee, read the paper, and fry up that bacon nice and crisp, set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.

Preheat your waffle iron, add the batter, then lay the bacon directly onto the batter. 

Close the lid, cook until waffle is done - crisp and golden on the outside. 

Serve immediately with butter and maple syrup.

Talk about fantabulistically YUMMY - yes!!!  You can use any waffle mix or recipe that you like, the key is simply to add the fried bacon to the waffle BEFORE it's cooked.  Delicious!

BTW - this batter will keep for a 3-4 days in the refrigerator to make fresh waffles at your whim.  You can also make up the entire batch and put the uneaten (IF there are any) ones in the freezer.  Pop into your toaster or toaster oven to reheat.  Tasty stuff, I tell ya.  This recipe makes about a dozen traditional Belgian waffles.

The idea of putting the bacon in the waffles came from a very talented friend of mine in the South.  Of course,  I tell Hubster that she uses turkey bacon instead of Real Bacon so as to retain my worshipped status.  Bacon is everything, you know;-)

Have a Waffle-icious kind of day ~

Robin Z