CHEDDAR CORNMEAL WAFFLES

makes about 6-6″x1/2″ waffles

While I make these savory waffles for the Green Chile Turkey Gravy, they are also tasty topped with sautéed apples or cut into quarters and used for egg and ham sandwiches. Please read Cook’s Notes (below recipe) before beginning.

Equipment

Waffle Iron

Ingredients

2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 3/4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon each: fresh ground black pepper and chili powder
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup grated extra sharp Cheddar cheese 2 ounces—FYI: you’ll need another 2 ounces for garnishing the Green Chile-Turkey gravy dish at the end

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit if you’d like to keep waffles warm and crispy until the whole batch is baked.
Preheat waffle iron and brush lightly with canola or vegetable oil or spray with Baker’s Spray. (Or follow your waffle iron’s directions.)
In a small bowl, beat or whisk together liquid ingredients (eggs, milk); set aside.
In a large bowl or measuring cup, stir together the dry ingredients (flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, pepper, chili powder, baking powder). Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix briefly just to combine well. Lumps are ok.
Pour 1/2 cup batter onto hot, greased waffle iron and bake as directed–approximately 4 minutes OR as directed by your waffle iron instruction booklet. (As batter sits, it will rise and be more puffy; you might need a bit more than 1/2 cup to make a whole waffle.) Place each waffle right on the warm oven rack to keep warm/crispy while you bake the rest. Repeat with remaining waffle batter.
Serve hot with Green Chile Turkey Gravy, topped with a fried or poached egg, and garnished with a bit more grated cheddar.

Notes

Cook’s Notes: I made these waffles with no fat in the batter and they were fine being baked in a lightly greased All-Clad non-stick waffle iron. You can also add a tablespoon or two of neutral oil or even melted butter to the batter if you like.