When we started this adventure, I did my best to make every pound count. Our trailer has a generous payload rating, but every pound you drag around costs fuel, and there's only so much cabinet space. So, one thing that did not make the initial cut was our waffle iron. Jan loves waffles, and I rationalized that I could buy frozen waffles.
But I hate buying things with unpronounceable ingredient lists, not just for health reasons, but because chemicals don't really taste good, and I can whip up a batch of waffles for very little money, any time, from ingredients already in the pantry, without using precious freezer space to store a box of substandard waffles.
So, I ended up buying a small waffle iron at a thrift store, for about $3.
For an appliance to earn its place in our trailer, I ask that it work hard. Much as Jan loves waffles, that wasn't quite enough justification. I spent some time surfing the Web looking for other uses for a waffle iron and found lots of ideas. One of our favorites is for making a small batch of cookies, quickly, without heating up the oven.
Small batches of cookies are a good thing if you tend to eat too many, like I tend to. This recipe makes about 6 nice-sized cookies. You can be enjoying warm, fresh cookies just a few minutes after you decide to make them.
CHOCOLATE WAFFLE COOKIES
- 1/3 cup butter (or margarine)
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 tablespoons cocoa
- 1/2 cup flour
- powdered sugar
In a double boiler (you can improvise one with any bowl that will set in the top of a pan over simmering water), melt the butter. (You could also do this in the microwave if you are so inclined.) Mix in the sugar, vanilla, and cocoa. Turn off the burner.
Add a little of the chocolate mixture to the beaten egg (the mixture is
hot and you want to temper the egg--warm it up a bit before it goes in
the chocolate mixture so the egg doesn't start cooking when it goes in the chocolate), then stir the egg mixture into the chocolate.
Mix in the flour.
Put a dollop of batter in each section of the waffle iron,
close the lid, and watch for it to stop steaming. Check for doneness--you want it to be cooked through and be firm enough to remove easily.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy. Aren't these cute?
When we get tired of these, I'll experiment with some other kinds.
Love this! I'm going to try these, and I'll let the kids know it was Grandma's idea.
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