2 Chick fil A Sauce Shortage? What to do....

Image from CFA

 Chick-Fil-A sauce is not just your ordinary honey-mustard dipping sauce. There's a smokiness to it and it is one of my family's favorite sauces for their Chick Fil A sandwiches and nuggets.

I opened up my CFA app and a pop up with this message came up:

"Due to industrywide supply chain shortages, some items, like sauces, may be unavailable."

What??? We were able to each get a packet of sauce with our entree, but that's it. No more asking for "extra sauce."☹️

Then all the news outlets started sharing the shortages on social media. 

A slight panic set in.  What to do?? First it was toilet paper & now it's CFA sauce?

Apparently, this is happening to other fast food restaurants, citing both labor and supply shortages. For example, ketchup packets are in high demand and in short supply. Heinz announced a 25% increase in production. 

Note, that CFA did NOT say that their sauce is in short supply...they said that it "may not be available due to a supply chain shortage." This leads me to believe that CFA sauce IS being manufactured, just not readily available. 

What is a supply chain? A network of people, organizations & activities that move a product from supplier to customer. It works like a chain and if it's broken in one or more areas, customers may not be able to get product. 

A disruption: Any sudden change or crisis, local or global, that has a negative impact on the process. 

WHY is this happening? 

CFA didn't give a reason, but my guess is the Covid-19 pandemic has created a ripple effect in the work force (processing & transportation) and demand is greater than the supply. Experts tell us there is NOT a food shortage. 

What to do? 

1. Buy CFA sauce at your grocery store. 

Yay! Walmart was completely OUT of the original CFA sauce, but had plenty of their Polynesian flavor. I drove over to my Smiths (Kroger) store and look what I found!

You can find it at Walmart, Target, Kroger or even at Amazon. It is 16oz and the price ranges from $3.49-$3.99. 

BONUS: Did you know that 100% of the profits from these CFA sauces are donated to their scholarship program? Cool, right?

2. Make it yourself. I made GrapeNuts cereal when they had a shortage. I may try this recipe for CFA sauce: CopyCat Chick Fil a Sauce

from BuildYourBite

0 Sweet, Smoky or Spicy BBQ Sauce - Pressure Cook & Stove Top

Korken Jars from IKEA

How do you like your barbecue sauce? Sweet, tangy, smoky or spicy?

If you are like me, maybe it's all three! Why make your own barbecue sauce?

Make it how you like it. You can adjust the recipe to your taste. Don't like vinegar? Then reduce it or leave it out. Want it sweet? Add more honey. Love it spicy? You can add as little or as much heat as you want.

Simple ingredients. You may find that your favorite sauce contains high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), caramel coloring, or other ingredients that are not part of your diet.

It's easy to make. Most of the recipes that I found have you simmer your sauce on the stove, anywhere from 30-60 minutes, which blends all the flavors together. It's even faster and easier if you use your pressure cooker!

You can make a variety of flavors. You can make one batch of barbecue sauce, divide it up, and create three or more unique flavors.

The basic original sauce is a perfect blend of smoky, sweet and tangy, much like a Kansas City barbecue sauce. One of my kiddos likes his extra sweet, so adding some more honey balanced out the tang for his palate. Hubby and my adult son love theirs spicy, so cayenne pepper gives their sauce the heat they want.

1. Gather all your ingredients and you will find that making your barbecue sauce is very quick and easy!

TIP: freeze your chopped onions, garlic cloves in the skin, and tomato paste for easy prep.

Clockwise from the top: Tomato sauce, onion, honey, minced garlic, mesquite liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, frozen tomato paste, apple cider vinegar. (Not shown: smoked paprika, salt & pepper)

Simmering barbecue sauce over the stove, melds all the flavors, gives it body and substance. I didn't have the time or energy to watch & stir it over the stove, so I thought, "Why not try this in the pressure cooker?" I'm so glad I did! Pressure cooking has a way of pushing all the flavors into the sauce in a much shorter time than simmering over a stove.

Once all your ingredients are gathered, making this barbecue sauce is so simple and easy.

TIP: pressure cooking requires a minimum amount of liquid to bring the cooker up to pressure. This amount can vary from size of your cooker to the recipe being used.

2. Saute the onions, stir in the garlic, heat your spices in the oil, and then pour in your ingredients.

Starting with the thinnest liquids will help bring your cooker up to pressure.

Apple cider vinegar - this vinegar is mild. Try making your own; it's easy!
Worcestershire sauce - I used French's Classic
Liquid smoke - I used Colgin's Natural Hickory

3. Next, slowly pour in your thicker liquids, right in the center of the pot, and do not stir:

Tomato sauce
Molasses - I used original flavor. You can use mild, light, or original flavor.
Honey (or Agave)
Tomato paste - freeze any leftover tomato paste for other recipes.

4. Close the pressure cooker, select high pressure, 5 minutes and use a quick release.

5. After opening, you can use an immersion blender to puree the onions & garlic into a smooth sauce.

If you don't have access to an immersion blender, you can push your sauce through a fine mesh strainer.

6. If you want a thicker sauce, you can use your saute LOW setting for 5-10 minutes, but you will need to stir it every couple of minutes. This will not only thicken your sauce, but concentrate the flavors.

Another option to thicken? Make a slurry of 1 Tablespoon cold water + 1 Tablespoon cornstarch. Stir it into your sauce, and over low heat (saute Low), it should thicken in a minute or two.

Barbecue sauce is great alone for hamburgers, as a marinade for chicken, slathered on ribs, chicken, BBQ shredded chicken, meatballs.... You will enjoy making your own sauce and finding many ways to use it in your recipes.

Enjoy!

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Homemade Barbecue Sauce: Sweet, Smoky or Spicy - Pressure cook & stove top

by Frieda Franchina, adapted from several recipes June 16, 2018

Making your own barbecue sauce has never been easier. One recipe, three different sauces. Simmer to thicken, or add a cornstarch slurry. Will keep in the fridge for up to 30 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (reduce in half if you want less tang)
• 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons liquid smoke (I used hickory)
• 16 ounces tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup molasses (light, mild or original)
• 1/3 cup honey (can use Agave)
• 1/4 cup tomato paste (freeze left over in tablespoon portions)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• OPTIONAL: For a thicker sauce, mix together 1 Tablespoon cold water + 1 Tablespoon cornstarch. 

Instructions

1. Add 1 Tablespoon oil to pot. Select saute LOW and add chopped onions. Saute until softened, about 2 minutes.2. Add garlic and smoked paprika, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.3. Turn pressure cooker OFF. Add 1/4 cup water and stir, making sure there are no cooked bits of onion or spices on the bottom of the pot.4. Into the middle of the pot, pour in the next 9 ingredients: apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, tomato sauce, molasses, honey, tomato paste, salt & pepper. Do Not Stir.5. Close the lid, close the pressure valve, select HIGH pressure and the timer for 5 minutes.6. At the end of the cook time, use a Quick Release by opening the pressure valve.7. Open the pressure cooker and blend sauce with an immersion blender. 8. If you want a thicker sauce, combine 1 Tablespoon cold water with 1 Tablespoon cornstarch and mix well. Pour into the sauce and simmer on saute LOW until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. 9. If you do not have a blender, you can push the sauce through a fine mesh sieve to create a smooth sauce. 
SWEET: To every cup of barbecue sauce, add 2 Tablespoons of honey. 
SPICY: To every cup of barbecue sauce, add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. 
Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 25 mins Yield: approx. 2 2/3 cups sauce

STOVE TOP: In a medium saucepan, soften onions over medium heat, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and smoked paprika, stirring until fragrant. Omit the 1/4 cup water, stir in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and continue simmering uncovered, for 30 - 45 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. Optional: use a mixture of 1 T. cornstarch & 1 T. cold water and stir it into the sauce to thicken more quickly. 

Details

Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 55 mins Yield: approx. 2 2/3 cups sauce

0 One Pot Lazy Lasagne - Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

This lasagne comes together oh, so easy, and is perfect for those busy and hot weeknights when the family is hangry. A perfect sauce to noodle ratio and paired with a fresh green salad, it is sure to satisfy your entire family and can be on your table in 20 minutes with your pressure cooker.

I looked everywhere for mini mulfada pasta... you know, the kind that looks like mini lasagne noodles and come in a box of Hamburger Helper? 

I even went to my favorite Harmon's store that carries many specialty items and couldn't find it, so I did the next best thing....

I broke regular lasagne noodles into 2" pieces.

Apparently, if you are Italian, breaking your pasta is like breaking a commandment. Each time you break pasta, you are breaking the hearts of 1,000 grandmothers. Or something like that.

Anyway, back to the hangry kids and getting the lasagne started!

I patterned this recipe and used the layering tips from my One Pot Meat Spaghetti recipe.

Start by adding water to your pot and stir in a tablespoon of cooking oil. This will help keep your pasta from sticking together.

Stir in your broken pasta, coating it well with the oil/water mixture.

Dump in your favorite pasta sauce, right on top. Do not stir.

I made some fantastic meat spaghetti sauce in the pressure cooker a few days ago, and using some of it is a great idea for this recipe.

Close the lid and pressure valve, set it for 6 minutes on high pressure. Check the box of your pasta for the cook time and cut it the time in half. My Western Family lasagne box has a 12-14 minute cook time. 6 minutes will give you al dente and 7 minutes will give you a softer pasta.

Use a quick release of pressure, open the pot and begin adding your cheese.

I like to use cottage cheese and mozzarella.

Stir in half of the cottage cheese and mozzarella...

Then put the other half of the cheeses on top. Close the lid and wait a couple of minutes.

Let's take a look, shall we?

Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top, serve with a green salad on the side and Presto! Dinner is served and kids are happy.

Enjoy!

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One Pot Lazy Lasagne - Pressure Cook

by Frieda Franchina June-08-2018

Make your busy weeknights easier with this fast and easy lasagne. The key is to preventing your pasta from sticking together is to coat it completely with the oil/water mixture. Use your favorite bottled sauce or make your own. 

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1 Tablespoon cooking oil
• 16 ounces wide lasagne noodles, broken into 2" pieces
• 6 cups pasta sauce (48 ounces)
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
• 1 cup cottage cheese (8 ounces)
• shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Pour water into pressure cooker insert and add cooking oil. Stir.2. Stir in broken lasagne noodles, coating all of the pasta well.3. Pour spaghetti sauce over noodles. Do not stir.4. Close the pressure cooker and pressure valve.5. Select HIGH pressure for 6-7 minutes. 6 minutes will give you al dente and 7 minutes will give you softer pasta.6. After the cook time, use a Quick Release by opening the pressure valve.7. Dollop half of the cottage cheese and sprinkle 1 cup of the mozzarella onto the sauce and stir. 8. Dollop the rest of the cottage cheese and the other 1 cup of mozzarella on top. Do not stir. 9. Cover the pressure cooker and let sit for 2 minutes. 10. Open the cooker, serve hot, with a generous serving of shredded Parmesan cheese.

Details

Prep time: 2 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 22 mins Yield: 8-10 servings

4 Frieda's Thick & Easy Spaghetti Sauce - Pressure Cook & Stove Top

Image courtesy of Regina Coker, using Frieda's Spaghetti Sauce recipe

Make your kitchen smell like an Italian restaurant with this thick, rich, & meaty spaghetti sauce!  Typically, spaghetti sauce is simmered for at least 90 minutes to blend and concentrate all the flavors for a thick sauce. Use your pressure cooker to get this same flavor in 30 minutes, start to finish! This spaghetti sauce is filled with robust flavors and could not be any easier to make! This sauce is perfect for lasagne, manicotti, or simply over your favorite pasta.

One of the most important things to remember when pressure cooking, is that your food needs enough water or thin liquid to create enough steam to bring it up to pressure. Tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, etc. will cook and burn on the bottom of your pot. Some examples of thin liquids are:

• water
• broth
• juice
• beer
• wine 

Using thickeners such as cream, flour, or cornstarch is not recommended during pressure cooking and should be added after cooking.

Here's my secret for getting a thin liquid for your spaghetti sauce. Use whole or diced tomatoes and pour them into a strainer, set over another bowl. After a few minutes, this will give you a the thin liquid needed to build pressure in your cooker!

I used Cento Chef's Cut tomatoes that are cut into thin strips. San Marzano tomatoes are supposedly the standard for taste, but you may be surprised to find these 5 canned tomatoes to be top picks. You should have about 1 cup reserved juice. If there's too much, reduce the amount of juice to 1 cup.

The next step is to build flavor. This is done by cooking lean ground beef and Italian sausage on the saute/browning setting. Choose extra lean ground beef, so you won't have to mop up any leftover grease. You can omit the sausage, but it adds a wonderful flavor to the sauce. I used mild, but you most certainly can use a hot Italian sausage. 

I love using this chop/stirrer! It chops the meat quickly and doesn't leave any big chunks behind.

Sweet Vidalia onions add flavor and balance out some of the acidity of the tomatoes. Stir and saute for a couple of minutes to soften. 

This is the best time to add your spices: basil, oregano and Italian seasoning. The heat "blooms" the spices, making them more fragrant and adding flavor to your sauce. 

After blooming your spices, add the garlic next. I freeze my garlic and use this wonderful garlic press for easy clean up. Stir the garlic in and turn the pressure cooker off. 

Here's another great tip. Use Worcestershire sauce. This is a sauce that is fermented vinegar based condiment that will add the umami taste to any beef dish. Umami is Japanese for "pleasant savory taste" and boosts the earthy meaty taste of any beef dish. 

Pour this tomato juice mixture and stir it into your cooked and seasoned meat, making sure there are no cooked on bits (also called "fond") stuck on the bottom of your pot. This is known as "deglazing" and helps your pot come to pressure properly.

Next are the layering steps, where you pour in your sauce, strained tomatoes, and tomato paste onto the center of your meat. 

It is critically important that you do not stir at this point. We want the thin liquid to come up around the sides of the pot, create steam, and help your cooker come to pressure. 

Bay leaves. Give it a try - It will give a complex, tea-like aroma/flavor and acts like a subtle background to your sauce. Since they need to be removed from the sauce before eating, I put them right on top. I use bay leaves in my Split Pea Soup, Irish Stew, Chicken Stock, and our family favorite Sunday Pot Roast recipe.

Pressure cook on HIGH for 5 minutes. At the end of 5 minutes, use a Quick Release and open the pressure valve.

Let's take a look and see in this video...

First, the smell is AMAZING!  One taste, and I got rave reviews from every member of the family. Hubby likes extra spice, so he sprinkled some red pepper flakes on his serving.

I used some of this awesome sauce to make this super easy, one pot Lazy Lasagne in my pressure cooker - it only took 5 minute of prep and was ready for the table 15 minutes later. 

I hope you will give this recipe a try, tweak it to your liking and enjoy it with your family! 

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Thick & Easy Spaghetti Sauce - Pressure Cook

by Frieda Franchina, June-04-2018

Typically, spaghetti sauce is simmered for at least 90 minutes to blend and concentrate all the flavors for a thick sauce. Use your pressure cooker to get this same flavor in 30 minutes, start to finish! This spaghetti sauce is filled with robust flavors and could not be any easier to make. This sauce is perfect for lasagne, manicotti, or simply over your favorite pasta.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef, 90% extra lean
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage (choose either mild or hot)
• 1 cup diced onion (I used a medium Vidalia onion)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning 
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if using sausage)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 (28 ounce) can of diced tomatoes, strained and juice set aside
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cups of tomato sauce (two 16 oz cans)
• 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves - remove at end of cooking
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Optional: red pepper flakes, 8 oz sautéed mushrooms

Instructions

1. Select Saute or browning setting. Brown ground beef and sausage, breaking it into smaller pieces with a spatula while cooking.2. Add chopped onion, stir and cook till softened, about 3-4 minutes.3. Add oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and stir till fragrant, about 2 minutes.4. Stir in minced garlic, sugar and cook for about 1 minute. 5. Add the Worcestershire sauce to the reserved liquid tomato juice (from straining the diced tomatoes) and stir into your seasoned meat.6. Turn the pressure cooker OFF. 7. Pour your tomato sauce & drained tomatoes in the center and on top of the meat. Do not stir! Put the tomato paste and bay leaves on top of the sauce. 8. Cover the pressure cooker, lock the lid, and select HIGH pressure for 5 minutes. 9. At the end of cook time, open the pressure valve for a quick release. 10. Open the cooker, remove the bay leaves, stir and serve hot with your favorite pasta. Generously put shredded Parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy!

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 8 cups or 6-8 servings

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Thick & Easy Spaghetti Sauce - Stove Top

by Frieda Franchina, June-04-2018

Spaghetti sauce is simmered for at least 90 minutes to blend and concentrate all the flavors for a thick sauce. Filled with robust flavors, this sauce is perfect for lasagne, manicotti, or simply over your favorite pasta, and could not be any easier to make. 

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef, 90% extra lean
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage (choose either mild or hot)
• 1 cup diced onion (I used a medium Vidalia onion)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning 
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if using sausage)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 (28 ounce) can of diced tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cups of tomato sauce (two 16 oz cans)
• 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves - remove at end of cooking
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Optional: red pepper flakes, 8 oz sautéed mushrooms

Instructions

1. In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat,brown ground beef and sausage, breaking it into smaller pieces with a spatula while cooking.2. Add chopped onion, stir and cook till softened, about 3-4 minutes.3. Add oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and stir till fragrant, about 2 minutes.4. Stir in minced garlic, sugar and cook for about 1 minute. 5. Add Worcestershire sauce and stir into your seasoned meat.6. Pour in diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.7. Reduce heat to simmer and add bay leaves. 8. Cover and simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. 9. Serve hot, generously sprinkled with shredded Parmesan cheese over your favorite pasta. Enjoy! 

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 90 mins Total time: 1 hour 45 mins Yield: 8 cups or 6-8 servings

11 Frozen Boneless Turkey Breast in an Hour!

Would you believe that you can cook a frozen, nearly 3 pound turkey breast, in an hour?

If you have a pressure cooker, this is definitely doable!

I saw this on sale at our local grocery store and it intrigued me...

Oven Ready! No Thawing! Boneless Turkey Breast with gravy packet!

Jennie-O Oven Ready Boneless Turkey Breast

Butterball Ready to Roast Boneless Turkey Breast

For the last 8 years, I have been making my Herb Roasted Turkey Breast, a family favorite that everyone looks forward to eating - perfectly seasoned with herbs, lemon, garlic, with moist, tender slices of turkey each and every time.

The problem with cooking most turkey is that it is frozen....and you need to thaw it out over a couple of days in the fridge. For every 5 pounds, you need 24 hours to thaw, so a 10-15 pound turkey can take 3 days to thaw!!

Another problem is that on Thanksgiving, my oven is usually taken up with baking dressing or dinner rolls, so cooking this in my pressure cooker will definitely help.

Let's see how this works out. I'm using a frozen, boneless chicken formula that a member of the Instant Pot Facebook Community shared for boneless chicken breasts:

High pressure, 1 minute per ounce, 10-15 min natural release. With a turkey breast, you will need to use a FULL natural release.

A natural release is the time the food sits in the pressure cooker AFTER the cook time. A FULL NPR is when the silver float valve drops and you can safely open your pressure cooker.

The package says 2.75 pounds, but I should have weighed it with my OXO scale to make sure. This translates to 44 oz, so 44 minutes and a full natural release (about 15 minutes) is what I used. The package says to cook in the oven for 1 hour and 40 minutes, so if this can save me time and oven space, I'm sold!

The turkey breast is fully seasoned, and I set it on the trivet that comes with the pressure cooker, and added 2 cups of water. I probably could use less, as the turkey release another cup...

Here's what it looked liked after a full NPR (natural pressure release). The NPR took about 15-20 minutes.

Smells great!

Checked the temp at the thickest part with my digital thermometer and it read 167°F - fully cooked!

You want the temp to be in the 160°-165°F range, but this meat was not dry at all...

Slice the turkey against the grain, to avoid shredding and get perfect slices. I cannot believe how incredibly moist this turkey breast is!

Cover your turkey breast with aluminum foil to let it rest, retain the heat and stay moist while you make the gravy.

I reserved 3/4 cup of the broth and dumped the frozen packet of gravy into the pot.

Set it on saute - high and stirred it with my favorite flat whisk. Perfect for getting every nook and cranny of the pot and getting a smooth gravy or sauce.

Paired with Creamy Pressure Cooked Mashed Potatoes, this will be a very quick and easy dinner!

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Frozen Boneless Turkey Breast - Pressure Cook

by Frieda Franchina November-19-2017

Use your pressure cooker to cook a moist & tender boneless turkey breast in under an hour, start to finish! Cooking from frozen, in the oven, takes 2.5 hours. You can double this recipe using two boneless breasts, just lay them side by side & do not stack them on top of each other,

Ingredients

• 2.75 pounds Frozen Turkey Breast or Roast- I used Jennie-O Oven Ready
• 2 cups water
• Trivet - metal steam rack

Instructions

1. Remove the plastic shrink wrap and gravy packet from the frozen turkey. You may need to hold the shrink wrapped turkey under hot tap water to separate it from the frozen meat. If using a ROAST, keep the twine on the meat.2. Put 2 cups of water into the pressure cooker pot.3. Set the trivet inside the pot.4. Place the frozen turkey breast or roast directly on the rack.5. Select HIGH pressure and Set the time according to the CHART below.6. When cook time is finished, turn the pressure cooker OFF and allow the pressure to release naturally, until the float pin drops, about 15-20 minutes. 7. Test the turkey with a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat. It should read at least 160°F. If it is less than 160°F, pressure cook your meat for an additional 2-3 minutes, with a full natural release. 8. Using the trivet handles, or two flat spatulas, lift the turkey onto a carving board or plate. 9. Cover the turkey with aluminum foil to rest and retain the heat. While resting, the temp of your turkey will go up another 5°.10. Remove all BUT 3/4 cup of the liquid broth from your pressure cooker. 11. Open the gravy packet and put into the pot of broth. 12. Select Saute/Browning and stir until thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Slice your turkey breast against the grain and serve with hot gravy. TURKEY TIMING CHARTFrozen: 1 minute for each OUNCE (ex: 44 oz = 44 minutes) Thawed: 10 min per POUND (2.75 lb = 28 minutes)

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 1 hour Yield: 8-10 servings

0 Gingerbread Waffles & Buttermilk Syrup

A thick, crisp, light and fluffy Belgian waffle, drenched in syrup, gets a makeover with spices and buttermilk syrup. Buttermilk Waffles are a weekend favorite, as you can fill each square with the perfect amount of syrup,  just right for each bite.

With the holidays around the corner, I looked for a spiced waffle and this Gingerbread Waffle recipe from King Arthur Flour fits the bill. The buttermilk syrup is just right, adding a sweet touch and compliments the spices.

WaringPro Waffle Maker

Granted, I don't have all the ingredients to make these festive waffles, but there are some substitutions you can use.

For instance, the recipe calls for sour cream and molasses. I used homemade yogurt, which works just as well as sour cream, adding a slight tang and providing moisture to the batter.  You can also use soured milk (lemon juice + milk) or buttermilk as a substitute. If you make your own yogurt, you can use whey as an acid to sour the milk.

Molasses is something that I have on hand for making soft gingerbread men cookies, but I don't use it year round for anything else. To me, it has a very strong taste. You can use brown sugar (dark or light), dark corn syrup, or even maple syrup as a substitute for molasses. I opted to use brown sugar.

Buttermilk syrup is soooooo good. It is sweet, slightly tangy, and made with pure vanilla extract, I think it would be great to bottle and give as gifts. It's fantastic as a pancake/waffle syrup, sauce, or ice cream topping.

I have Saco buttermilk powder on hand for making bread, biscuits, pancakes and waffles, but it was easier to make soured milk.

Soured milk is made by putting 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (you can use white vinegar) into a measuring cup and filling the measuring cup up to 3/4 cup line. Let the milk sit for a few minutes and it will begin to curdle and sour. It's a great substitute for buttermilk in many recipes: Waffles, Flaky Biscuits, etc)

Heat the sugar, buttermilk (soured milk) and butter in a heavy bottom 3 quart sauce pan. Using this size of pan is important, as the syrup will double in size while heating. A thick, heavy bottom pan will help keep the mixture from burning.

You will want to stir it constantly, to keep the bubbling under control.  A flat whisk is a great tool for this. After it reaches a boil, cook it only for 5 minutes, then remove it from the stove. Wait till the bubbling subsides and add the baking soda and pure vanilla extract.

The baking soda gives the syrup a foamy, airy texture and the extract will give it a lovely vanilla flavor.

TIPS: Use a large pot. The syrup will foam, bubble and double in size. Stirring constantly helps keep the bubbling under control.
          Do not cook it for very long. If you cook it longer, it will become darker and more like a caramel candy. It will also set firmer and not be as syrup-y if cooked longer. It will become more chewy.
          Do not walk away. Stir it and stir it constantly. If you walk away, it will double in size and possibly overflow, creating a big, sticky mess.

This Anchor Hocking 10 oz glass pitcher is perfect for serving and pouring hot, lovely, syrup...

Gingerbread Waffles
Adapted from King Arthur Flour

2 cups all purpose flour (can use a mix of whole white wheat and all purpose flours)
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 large eggs
6 Tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 cup milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
3 Tablespoons brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup or dark corn syrup

Preheat your waffle maker.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
In another separate bowl, mix together eggs, melted butter, milk, yogurt and brown sugar.
Pour the milk/egg mixture into the flour/spice mixture, stirring until just combined.
A few lumps is o.k.
Ladle about 3/4 cup batter into your waffle maker and cook according to your waffle maker directions.
Makes about 5-6 Belgian style waffles.

Can make ahead and store in freezer bags.
Reheat by putting your waffles in the toaster.

Enjoy!


Buttermilk Syrup
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter milk -or- 1 tablespoon lemon juice and enough milk to make 3/4 cup. Let sit 5 minutes.
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a heavy 3 qt saucepan, melt the butter. Add sugar and buttermilk (or soured milk).
Stir to dissolve.
Over medium heat, allow mixture to come to a rolling boil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.
Remove saucepan from heat. Wait for bubbles to subside.
Add baking soda - stir vigorously, as it will foam.
Add vanilla extract.
Serve warm over pancakes, waffles, cake or ice cream.

Refrigerate up to 2 weeks. Reheat to serve.