Ever realize how important a simple garnish is? Where I don’t often garish our dinner plates in my own home, I expect when going out to a restaurant that there will be some type of presentation. It brings the dish together, can add color, and overall makes the final product look more professional.
We tried a new place that just opened last Wednesday, that I won’t name quite yet in hopes that on the second try they pull me in, the other night. It advertises a Cajun menu and a rock-and-roll themed atmosphere. The building has been a longstanding dive bar in my local community and it went under earlier this year. When it was purchased by the new owners and the theme and menu style were announced I was very excited (I do love me some Cajun) just to be very underwhelmed at our first dining experience there.
Handsome ordered a blackened chicken (no tomato) over pasta and I ordered an andouille sandwich with a po-boy sauce. His plate was just that – blackened chicken over a pasta. No onion or pepper or vegetable of any kind. No sprinkle of parsley. No sprinkle of fresh cheese. Nope. Chicken over pasta – very dry chicken at that. My sandwich was a diced andouille (which may just be my personal opinion but dicing a sausage for a sandwich means that not every bite with have meat – just the lucky ones – so I am not a fan of diced sausage. Id rather it still be long and split down the center – insert JJ’s laughter here). It was slathered in cheese and lacked the po-boy sauce all together. I was a sad panda.
The place was only 3 days old at the time of my first experience, so I will be giving them another try with hope. Please don’t assume I’m waiving my snobby ‘foodie’ nose in the air, because I’m not. I just had high hopes for a new Cajun restaurant in town and was very let down by the food.
Back to the food:
To celebrate this beautifully cool and breeze Sunday morning, I made waffles.
Chocolate Chip Belgian Waffles
from gracessweetlife.com
Ingredients:
- 4 cups flour, sifted twice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted twice
- 10 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet or bitter-sweet
Preparation:
Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions.
Using a fine-mesh sieve, sift the flour and baking powder into a medium bowl. Sift one additional time. Using a whisk, stir to combine well. Set aside.
Place the eggs and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 6 to 8 minutes, until quite pale.
Add the vegetable oil and butter and continue to beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and beat just to combine.
Reduce to speed to low and gradually add flour, beat to just combine. Do not over-mix!
Using a large spatula, fold in chocolate chips.
Coat the waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Using a ladle, pour enough batter in iron to just cover waffle grid. Close and bake following manufacturer’s instructions until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
These were good but Handsome and I clearly have different taste when it comes to breakfast food. He wants everything thin and I like thick and fluffy. >.< Then again, I don’t really care for breakfast, so I guess I’ll just start working my way through crepe recipes. Ha.
