Restaurant Style Buttermilk Waffles

Golden brown waffles with crispy edges yet tender inside, doused with hot maple syrup will rival those of your favorite restaurant.

Although its fall, it's getting pretty chilly around here, and we even had rain. This weather makes me want to hunker down and enjoy a hot comforting breakfast of waffles, restaurant style!  You know the ones that are so tender but hold up well with crispy edges?  Yesssss, no floppy waffles here!

RESTAURANT STYLE BUTTERMILK WAFFLES

These waffles will rival even your favorite restaurant waffles. They are made with a (secret) ingredient that keeps them crispy on the edges yet tender in the middle! Yum!  Nothing fancy here, but that secret ingredient is cornstarch. Cornstarch added to the dry ingredients helps keep the edges crispy,  like you get from your favorite restaurant. 

Easy to pull together on the weekend and with excellent results.  Make sure to enjoy these waffles soon.  They freeze beautifully and can be re-heated in the toaster.  

Whether eaten warm with maple syrup, or with fresh berries and whipped cream, these waffles are a winner.  The tangy buttermilk give them so much flavor!  You can even use these as a dessert waffle with some ice cream, sliced bananas, and chocolate syrup or even caramel drizzled over the top.

Enjoy!

Restaurant Style Buttermilk Waffles 

serves 8

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients  to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Preheat a waffle maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Grease with non-stick spray.  Pour  batter into the hot waffle maker and cook until golden brown.  Continue until all waffles are done.  Serve immediately with desired toppings.

Apple Cider Muffins

The BEST Fall muffins are filled with apple cider and bursting with tart apple bites.  Hot from the oven these muffins will leave you warm and cozy!

My Fall baking continues.  Since I baked a pumpkin dish last time (Essential Pumpkin Bread) I thought I would switch it up to my other favorite fall flavor...Apples!  Boy how I love apples, and it doesn't matter how they are made I just love the flavor.  I even look for apple flavored sparkling water I love them so much.

APPLE CIDER MUFFINS

Let's take my basic muffin recipe and tweak it into something heavenly for fall.  With ingredients like apple cider, apple chunks, cinnamon, and a cinnamon sugar topping how can we go wrong?  One bowl and a few ingredients and you are on your way to the best Fall muffins around.  A quick bake in the oven and breakfast is on the table in under 30 minutes.

Perfect for breakfast, a Autumn brunch, grab and go snacks, or even as a warm dessert with a little vanilla ice cream (I won't tell!).   We just loved the moist rich flavors of these muffins and will all the warming spices they were dare I say...perfect!

Enjoy!

Apple Cider Muffins

small batch - 6-7 muffins

1 egg
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup canola oil
1 Tablespoon boiled cider (optional)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tart apple (such as jazz or granny smith), cored and peeled, diced small

Topping:

1/4 cup sugar

1/1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl add the egg, apple cider, and oil and boiled apple cider (if using).  Mix together using a whisk.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Stir just until combined.  Do not over mix.  Fold in the diced apples.  

Using a cookie scoop, add batter to the individual muffin tins.  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture on the tops of each muffin.  Bake 18-20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes in the tin.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Southern Style Chicken Piccata

Thin chicken breasts dredged in breadcrumbs and sautéed until golden and crispy, then smothered in an addictive lemon-wine pan sauce.  Fabulous!

I can't believe that I've never posted a recipe for Chicken Piccata!  As much as I love everything lemon and as easy of a weeknight dinner as this dish is, I sure am slow to provide you with my version of Chicken Piccata.  Well today's the day.

My version is more of a Southern Style way to bread and cook the chicken.  The south loves everything breaded and Chicken Piccata is no exception.  Typically you would just dredge pounded thin chicken breasts in flour and then sauté them in a skillet.  We are taking it one step further and creating 3 dredging stations:  flour, eggs, and Italian breadcrumbs.  This creates a coating similar to fried chicken and results in a wonderfully crispy crusted chicken.  

For the sauce I used a combination of broth and wine, along with the lemon to make a tangy and fabulous sauce to pour over the chicken.  Again the original dish calls for capers in the sauce but I left those out.  You could certainly add those back in if you prefer.

I dare say my Southern Style version of Chicken Piccata is really outstanding.  The chicken turns out crispy and the sauce is to die for.  This comes together in under 30 minutes and if perfect for a weeknight meal, Sunday supper, or for when company comes.  This version of an essential Italian dish should be one kept on hand in your recipe arsenal.

Enjoy!

Southern Style Chicken Piccata

serves 4

4 thin cut boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs 
1 cup Italian seasoned dry breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 Tablespoons olive oil + 1 Tablespoon butter 
1/4 cup white wine 

1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth 

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons  butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon slices for serving

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Create you dredging stations.  To one shallow bowl add the flour.  To another, add the eggs and beat until combined.  To a third bowl add the breadcrumbs and the paprika.  Mix together to combine.

Dredge chicken in the flour, shake off excess and dip in the eggs.  Allow excess egg to drip off and then place in the breadcrumbs and coat both sides.  Place these on a baking sheet and continue the process for the other chicken breasts.

Heat olive oil  and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the chicken breasts and cook until done and golden brown, about 4-5 minutes per side.  Remove chicken from the skillet to a plate.

Add the wine, chicken broth, and lemon juice to the pan and scrape up any brown bits in the bottom.  Bring the sauce to a boil and allow to reduce by 1/2.  This should take several minutes.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.  Turn off the heat and add the butter, and stir until melted.  Add chicken back to the skillet and coat both sides.

Serve chicken on a platter adding remaining sauce of the top.  Add a slice of lemon for garnish and serve.  

adapted from: Grandbaby Cakes