Reasons that you can thank me for not posting recently:

1.  You have been spared the 'My best posts of 2013' blog post.

2.  And also the 'My favourite posts of 2013' blog post.

3. As well as the 'Winter is so depressing that I'm having trouble functioning let alone writing a blog post' blog post.

4.  And don't forget the sucky 'Winter Cleanse because that's what we all need to do in January' blog post.

5.  Then there's the 'Here are some awesome pictures of snow because I have nothing else for you' blog post.

That's as much as I'm going to say about it... and we move on.

Audition season has begun with gusto.  Kid #2 has completed one of her two auditions for grade 9 (I could write a whole paragraph on how it's a travesty that I'm a parent of a thirteen year old and how you would probably never guess that I was the parent of a teenager as long as you didn't see her standing beside me... but I won't)  Kid #2 has completed his vocal audition (with flying colours - huge sigh of relief) and has moved on to academic testing (cue more internal hand wringing).  I have also been helping a handful of other hopefuls prepare for their auditions.  This has made January not quite a slow as I had hoped.
This means that the bananas have gone straight to the freezer once overripe and not into a cake or cookie or pancake or the like.  It also means that I've cued a bunch of things but haven't moved beyond the cue.  The good news is that I have a cue... right?  The freezer is starting to feel a little over crowded with all of the bananas getting stuffed in there.  I've been thinking that I've got to get serious about working down the numbers.


This recipe worked perfectly for me because:
 - it used up 2 bananas
 - it made enough waffles to make two kids happy on a Sunday afternoon and gave them breakfast the next day
 - it used buckwheat flour
 - it could have worked beautifully as a dessert with just a dollop of vanilla ice cream and a little bit of maple syrup

I will, of course, also make some kind of obligatory banana cake but I'm thinking something cocoa'y'.  After that though, I'm all out of ideas and it's back to the drawing board.  I think that I'll work on borrowing my way through January first though.


Banana Brown Butter Waffles adapted from 'Two Peas and their Pod'
makes 8 - 9 waffles

2/3 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2/3 cup buckwheat or whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/3 cup milk or buttermilk
2 eggs separated
2 medium sized overripe bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla

Heat a heavy bottomed saucepan over med heat.  Add in the butter and turn the heat down to low.  Let the butter brown for a few minutes (and some water will cook out too).  Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
Combine the flours together along with the brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Set aside.
Combine the milk, egg yolks, mashed banana and vanilla.  Mix well.

Start preheating the waffle iron.

Whisk or beat the egg whites until peaked and stiff but not dry.  Set aside.
Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix to combine.  Add the browned butter and combine well.  Fold in the egg whites just until combined.

Spoon about 1/3 cup of the batter onto the heated waffle iron and heat to specifications until you use up all of the batter.