Eggo Emergency?

In case you have not heard there is going to be a shortage of Eggo waffles. If you would like to read more about this shortage just click here. DON'T PANIC!!! Especially, if these are a staple in your freezer. You can make your own - Yes you can! We just had these for breakfast and they are so easy to whip up fresh and cook. Even better, they do not contain all the preservatives of the store bought variety and they are SOOOOO much cheaper. I just calculated (yes, the girl from Kentucky can do some cipherin' but I have to admit that I am not wearing shoes at the moment) and it cost me $1.32 for the ingredients to make 16 healthy waffles! Of course, that does not include the cost of a waffle iron. But, if you click here, you can see the list of waffle makers available at Target and mine was only $19.99, although it is not pictured there.



My waffle iron calls for 3/4 cup of batter to make two waffles, but last time I used that amount of batter the waffles were a little too thick for me and would not fit as well in my toaster to reheat. So, I only used about 1/2 cup of batter at a time and they were perfect. What we didn't eat for breakfast, I then placed on a cookie sheet in a single layer and placed in the freezer for an hour or so to "flash freeze" them. Then, I simply placed them in a freezer bag for storage.

These homemade frozen waffles reheat just as well in the toaster. You may consider not cooking them until they are completely crispy if you are planning on putting them in the toaster to reheat. But, you may need to play with that.

For those of you needing as close to an Eggo as you can get, I did find this website where a chef created his version of the waffle. I have not tried this recipe yet, but wanted to share it and the website with you. Let me know what you think if you try them before I have a chance. I do like his suggestion of using pieces of dried blueberries in the batter for the blueberry flavor.

So, here is your chance to start the break from pre-packaged convenience foods and start making some of your own convenience foods at home. It does take a little planning and time to get started, but once you have these yummy waffles in your freezer you will forget about Lego or Eggit or whatever they were called. Did I mention how much money you can save???

You can do it!

Oops! Almost forgot to include the link to the recipe. It if from http://www.tammysrecipes.com/ and if you have time you should browse around for more great recipes.

"Buttered" Noodles

Can you really have healthy buttered noodles? Sure, if you get a little sneaky with it. This recipe is simple and tasty. I found it in the Deceptively Delicious cookbook and make it as directed. Just click on the title of this blog post to get the full recipe or you can go to the "Recipes" tab on the sidebar.

First, start with a healthy pasta such as Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Blend Extra-Wide Noodle Style Pasta, Ronzoni Smart Taste Pastas (any shape) that contain 30% of your daily calcium, Hodgson Mill Whole Grain/Whole Wheat pastas or if you insist on white noodles then DeCecco spaghetti is one of the best. I used the Ronzoni Smart Taste Rotini.

Second, you will need to make a yellow squash puree which is so easy. Just cut the ends off of the squash and cut it into about one-inch pieces and steam (I use my Pampered Chef microsteamer) in the microwave or on the stove top for about six minutes or until tender. Then, just throw it in your food processor or blender until smooth.

One decent sized squash made about 1/2 cup of puree which was perfect for this recipe. Next, just combine the cooked and drained pasta with pureed squash, 1/4 c. of skim milk, 2 T. trans-fat free soft tub butter/margarine spread, 2 T. grated paremesean cheese and 1/4 t. salt.

This is the batch that I made for dinner last night and it was enjoyed by all in my household.


Seth enjoyed it, too! Cast and all!

Sorry that the posts have been few and far between lately. My husband was out of the country and my son broke his wrist, so things have been a little crazy. Hoping to be a little more frequent in posting in the near future.

Enjoy!