Bring on the Pumpkin

Although I terribly miss the south, Fall in North Carolina just doesn't compare to the Autumn seasons of my childhood in the Midwest. The crispness in the air is just different and college game day is not a sweltering 95 degrees! I can't wait to pull out my boots, cardigans, long sleeved tees and we simply cannot forget the jewel tone flats! (ahem, MOD)

The flavors of fall are a burst of happiness in my mouth and I cannot wait to give MM his full dose of spice flavored things this year. I often find myself standing in the middle of my kitchen looking around and deciding which new appliance I want to use that day. There are so many and I want to be sure to give them all the equal attention they deserve. On Saturday, we decided to give the waffle iron a whirl, by way of the Kitchen Aid mixer of course. I broke out my first can of pumpkin of the year...Pumpkin waffles for breakfast?! Please and thank you! I hopped on over to one of my very favorite sites, Smitten Kitchen, and found a wonderful recipe that I must share immediately!

But wait, I can't forget about my loving kitchen assistant and his ever expanding kitchen skills. This time, he was on his own. I gave MM some fresh Granny Smith apples, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and with my simple instructions, the result was brilliant! We had our very own cooked apples atop the wonderfully fluffy Pumpkin Waffles.

Pumpkin Waffles
Recipe via Smitten Kitchen

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 large eggs, separated
2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
Vegetable oil for brushing waffle iron or cooking spray

Preheat oven to 250°F and preheat waffle iron. Sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices. Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl with buttermilk, pumpkin, and butter until smooth. Whisk in dry ingredients just until combined.

In a mixing bowl with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until they hold soft peaks (as in, far softer than the over-beaten whites you’ll see in my picture above). Folk them gently into the waffle batter, until just combined.

Brush waffle iron lightly with oil and spoon batter (about 2 cups for four 4-inch Belgian waffles) into waffle iron, spreading quickly. Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Transfer waffles to rack in oven to keep warm and crisp. Make more waffles in same manner.

Ironically enough, today is the first day of fall. I suggest you celebrate your first fall weekend and whip up a batch of these. Your taste buds will surely thank you. And if you have any dreamy fall pumpkin recipes, please send them my way. I'm always looking for creative ways to get pumpkin on my plate.