Breakfast for Dinner - Dinner Date!

Thank goodness for Wednesdays! Both Neko and I are really getting used to and looking forward to our weekly dinner with Abby and Lizzy and their Mommy! Its so nice for the girls to have some one on one play time and even more nice for the Mommies to enjoy a nice glass of wine and some good conversation (even if it has to be shouted over toddlers banging on toy metal pots with rubber spatula handles).
Tonight's meal was such a winner. (Not to toot my own horn or anything.) I hope you will make it for your family soon. You won't be disappointed. Again, I would never make such a claim if it wasn't true. ;o)

Potato Skin Waffles
yup, you heard me right

(serves 4-6)

1c. whole wheat flour
3/4c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4c. canola oil
2 eggs
2c. milk
4 strips thick cut bacon, fried to crispy and chopped
1 med. russet potato, washed, peeled and shredded
1/2c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2c. sour cream
1/2 c. applesauce

1. Preheat waffle iron
2. Combine flours, salt and baking soda in a med. mixing bowl
3.. In a separate bowl combine oil and eggs
4. Stir oil and egg mixture into dry ingredients (batter will be lumpy)
5. Add milk to mixture and whisk until most of the lumps are gone
6. Stir in bacon, shredded potato and cheese
7. Spray waffle iron with cooking spray. (I used Pam Olive Oil.)
8. Spoon about 1/2c. of batter onto hot waffle iron. Waffle is done when waffle iron almost stops steaming.
9. Make sure to re-spray the waffle iron between waffles. Continue until you are out of batter. Serve with sour cream and applesauce on the side for dipping!

Oh heaven! These were so yummy...I mean...how could they not be?! You really can't go wrong putting bacon, potato and cheese in just about anything. There were leftover waffles and after wolfing down a chunk of the stack my husband asked me to throw them in the trash and "please, throw something gross on top of them so I'm not tempted to fish them out." Haha! I'll take that as "compliments to the chef!" The sour cream and applesauce on the side were perfect dipping sides but these would actually be really good with maple syrup as well. Think of it as a (sort of) healthier version of the McGriddle. Sort of.

Banana Smoothies
(serves 2-4)

1 banana
1/2c. pineapple tidbits, frozen
2/3c. pineapple juice
1/2 c. milk
1 single serve container vanilla yogurt
2 ice cubes

1. Put all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Serve!

This was such a yummy pairing with the waffles but would be a great breakfast or snack on its own. Creamy, sweet and delicious! Both girls were silent at the table until those smoothies were gone. Always a good sign!

Mini Blueberry Cream Cheese Danish
(serves 6)

1c. frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp. REAL maple syrup (I don't believe in anything else!)
4 sheets phyllo dough
6 tsp. cream cheese
Pam for baking
1/2c. powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice

1. Combine blueberries and maple syrup in a microwave safe bowl. Cook for 1 minute on high.
2. Lay out a sheet of the phyllo and spray with Pam. Lay another sheet on top of the first. Spray. Repeat until all sheets are stacked.
4. Cut the phyllo stack into 6 equal sized squares.
5. Spoon about 2 Tbsp. of the blueberry mixture in the center of each square.
6. Spoon a tsp. of cream cheese in the center of each square.
7. Roll each square like a burrito (tucking in the sides).
8. Arrange on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with Pam. Spray the tops with a little more.
9. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until light brown and crispy.
10. In a small bowl combine the sugar and lemon juice to make a thin glaze. Drizzle a little of the glaze over each "danish". Serve!

Yum. Yum. Yum and oh so easy!