Daddy's Old-Time Waffles {with Strawberry Sauce}

My Daddy is the breakfast king. He can do dinners, and he often did lunches when I was a kid, but his specialty (and favorite, I believe) is breakfast. Being a pastor, Mondays are his days off, and, being home-schooled, we had Mondays off too. Thus, it became our tradition to have big, late "Monday-Breakfasts"- and one of those cherished Monday treats is a recipe called "Old  Time Waffles" from one of my mom's favorite cook books, "Family Favorites" (a collection of recipes from California Home-Ec Teachers).

The recipe remarks state that the submitter's mother attained this recipe over the radio before electric waffle irons were even available! When Daddy was fixing breakfast, I would often sit at the counter and watch him, while he explained the special ingredient in these light, fluffy waffles- beaten egg whites. He taught me how to separate the eggs using the egg shell, warning me not to get a single drop of yolk in the whites or they wouldn't beat up properly. He said if there was anything but egg white in there, you could whip it till Doomsday and nothing would happen. But, if you happen to be very careful, and keep the whites pure, they would do a magical thing. As he whipped and whipped with a wire whisk, I saw the jelly-like substance transform into a beautiful cloud of foamy white, standing ever so softly when the whisk was removed.
Fast forward to years later and here I am in my own kitchen, with a fancy-shmancy Kitchen-Aid Mixer. Whipping egg whites would be a cinch. And it was- once I got the whites in the bowl! I went through 3 fragile store bought eggs, each yolk breaking into the white before I could stop it, before deciding to try some farm fresh eggs. These proved to be much sturdier, separating like a dream. The Kitchen-Aid also worked beautiful, transforming the heap of goo to a soft, inviting cloud.

Alas! I was so enthralled by the pretty whites that I mixed them in too soon, resulting in waffles that were a bit less fluffy then I remembered. Oh, well, I can testify to many year's experience that when done right, these waffles simply melt in your mouth, they are so light and delicious! Topped with a freshly made strawberry sauce, they were absolutely irresistible!

Old-Time Waffles

(printable version)

from "Family Favorites" Cookbook

serves 4

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

3 TB sugar

1 1/2 cups milk

1/3 cup butter, melted

Sift together flour, salt and baking powder; set aside.

Separate eggs. Beat yolks in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and milk to egg yolks. Beat well. Add flour mixture; mix until smooth. Stir in melted butter.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold in beaten eggs whites.

Cook on waffle iron.

Strawberry Sauce

adapted from "Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook"

makes about 2 cups

3 cups fresh or frozen strawberries

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp cornstarch

Thaw strawberries if frozen. Combine berries, sugar and cornstarch in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 min. more. Chill or serve warm.