Waffles are Wonderful

We're more apt to eat waffles for dinner than for breakfast. We love to eat them with bacon, sausage ... anything to make a hefty dinner meal. Sometimes we dress them up by mixing blueberries or chocolate chips into the batter. And toppings are endless ... ice cream ... sauces ... you name it, it probably can top a waffle.

This is a basic waffle batter ... you can invest the time "messing" with it ... or toss all the ingredients in the bowl if you're in a hurry. You really can't ruin it unless you over-beat.

2 1/2 cups flour
4 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup canola oil

Sift together dry ingredients. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks, add the milk, and then add the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites to a thick foam and add them gently to the mixture.

This makes 8-10 waffles, depending on how thick you like them.

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Spaghetti Sauce

It won't be long and it will be time to begin doing creative things with tomatoes. One of the things I've done for years is make my own spaghetti sauce to can. It's wonderful to pull a quart of spaghetti sauce off the shelf in the dead of winter to make a delicious pan of lasagna or ziti. Tastes just like summer despite the snow on the ground!

4 quarts (16 cups) processed tomatoes
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder (1 crushed garlic clove)
3 Tablespoons parsley flakes
1 teaspoon Basil
1 teaspoon Oregano
1 teaspoon Pepper
6 teaspoons salt
3 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 chopped onion
1 - 12 oz can tomato paste

To process tomatoes I wash them, cut out the stem, quarter the tomatoes and process in a blender, skin and all. I use a combination of a "canning" tomato and Romas ... about 3 to 1.

In a large stew pot empty the processed tomatoes. Mix in all ingredients except the tomato paste. Cook for 30 minutes on medium heat .... stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste and cook another 30-45 minutes until sauce cooks down and thickens.

Yields: 7 pints

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