Cold, icey and windy with waffle iron recipes for more than just waffles

Good morning Augusta

This morning we have icy conditions with a 90% precip potential for freezing rain. High will struggle up to 36°F. Winds ENE at 15 to 25 mph with higher wind gusts possible.

Tonight we'll have clouds and wind with periods of rain, one inch of possible. Low around 35°F. Winds E at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.

The readings from my weather instruments are:

Humidity is 80%, the Dew Point is  25.7°F and the outdoor temp is 31.1°F.

The wind direction is   East between 6.5 MPH and 7.4 MPH, generating a wind chill of 25.5°F.

The Relative pressure is 30.24, the Absolute pressure is 30.03 and falling with a weather graphic indicating rain.

The UV rating is 0 out of 16, Sunrise is 5:53 a.m. Sunset is 7:24 p.m., Moonrise is 6:35 a.m., Moonset is 8:09 p.m. and we have a New Moon being 0% illuminated.

The RAW METAR readings from Augusta's airport are:

METAR KAUG 161053Z AUTO 03007KT 10SM OVC046 M02/M03 A3042 RMK AO2 FZRAE34 SLP307 P0001 I1000 T10171028

Visibility is 10.0 miles / 16.1 Kilometers with overcast to 4,600 ft / 1,402 m.

We've received 0.11 inches of rain over the past 24 hours.

Space weather for today is:

Today's Solar flux is 72, the solar wind speed is 300 Kilometers per second and the chance of a solar storm is 1%.

You have a waffle iron in the kitchen cabinet, right?  Pull it out and pick one of the following recipes to try with it. You won't regret it.

*Breakfast etc. Waffle Irons Can Be For More Than Waffles From the Farmers' Almanac.

8 delicious foods you didn't know you could make in a waffle iron

by Edward Higgins  Monday, February 15th, 2016.

Waffle irons are not just for waffles anymore. Granted, most things you put between waffle irons will come out "waffleized," but that's a good thing! The reason waffle irons are shaped the way they are

is to increase the available surface area of the heating surface, so it comes into maximum contact with whatever batter or food you are pressing between the irons. This promotes crispness and browning in all the nooks, making the humble waffle iron a versatile kitchen tool.

Here is a list of 8 clever ideas for delicious foods you didn't know you could make in a waffle iron.

Get the kids involved and have fun!

 

1. Sandwiches. Move over, Panini press! A waffle iron makes terrific grilled cheese sandwiches.

Brush it with butter or olive oil and close it down over the sandwich (you may not be able to close it

completely) until the cheese is melted and the bread is crispy golden brown. Sliced bread such as scali works best. Try filling your waffle sandwiches with prosciutto and provolone, gruyere and tomato, or

smoked turkey and muenster. It also makes great tuna melts and Cuban sandwiches!

Ross Note: when this is done with black forrest rye, French peasant bread or marble rye it's fantastic.  Just wait until you hear the cheese sizzle and it's done.  Also, if you open the iron and tap the top ofr the sandwich, you'll know it's done if its crisp. 

 

2. Muffins/Brownies. (Ross has not tried this. Yet.)

You can experiment with all kinds of batter in a waffle maker. A few that work really well are corn muffin batter (add onion or jalapeño for a more savory hush puppy style waffle to serve with grilled fish!), banana bread/muffin batter, date nut batter, lemon poppy, etc.

Brownie batter is terrific in a waffle iron, especially if you like crispy edges. Imagine a whole waffle of crispy brownie edges topped with vanilla ice cream! Just load the batter in the iron until 3/4 full and cook 6 to 8 minutes.

 

3. Frittatas.

Make a simple Spanish "tortilla," which includes chopped onions and potatoes cooked in olive oil, allowed to cool, and mixed with scrambled eggs. Season well with salt and pepper and then ladle the mixture into the waffle iron, close, and cook until set and lightly brown. You can add cheese, meats, and all kinds of veggies to your frittata mixture. Try a Denver omelette with ham, bell pepper,

onions, and some shredded cheddar cheese. Or try spinach and feta cheese; even a "crustless" quiche with bacon, swiss cheese, and onion. Whisk some light cream in with the eggs! Get creative!

 

4. Corned Beef Hash.

Once you try corned beef hash in a waffle iron, you will never make it in a

skillet again. Fair warning, it probably won't stay together in a perfect waffle shape. It really depends

on the hash you use. Getting the browned hash out of the waffle iron tends to happen in pieces, but it's still delicious — crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Be sure not to rush it. Let it brown well. It's hard to overcook hash. Top with a couple of poached eggs and serve!