Hot Breakfast for the Kids

My kids are not the "cereal for breakfast" kind of kids. They like to eat a nice hot breakfast before they head out to school. This was done a lot easier when they were in elementary school which doesn't start until 9. Now I have one in high school, which starts at 7:30 and one in Jr. High which starts at 8:00. On top of that, I now work and add the carpool trips and my daily workout....that is one busy morning. Lucky for me I have a couple of tricks up my sleeve. This waffle recipe is one of them. I simply cook up a big batch of them on my day off or on the weekend and freeze them in a long sandwich bread bag and set them in the freezer. In the morning, the kids are able to pop them into the toaster and enjoy the same great taste as if I had just made them without me having to be physically in the kitchen.

Waffles

4 c milk

4 eggs

2/3 c oil

1 t vanilla

2 T sugar

2 T baking powder

1/2 t salt

4 c flour

In a large bowl; beat eggs and milk till frothy, add in oil and vanilla. In a seperate bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk together. Stir dry ingredients into milk. Spray waffle iron with cooking spray and ladle in enough batter for one waffle. Close and let cook according to your waffle iron's instructions until golden brown. Remove from iron and repeat with the remaining batter. Let all waffles cool before you freeze them. Stack them neatly into a long bread bag and set them in the freezer where they will not get smashed. Once frozen they will seperate easily in order to toast. Don't over toast them...just enough to warm through and crisp back to their original texture.

***Moms, this works great on mornings you want to sleep in too!

Comfort Food ~ Macaroni 'n Cheese

What is more cozy or comforting than Mac n Cheese on a cold winters day. And I am not talking about that stuff that comes in a box that my cousin affectionately calls "Yellow Death" Oh no...not in this house! Once you try this; you will never go back to the boxed stuff...and it is just about as easy!

Start one large pot of water to boil on the stove. When boiling, add 2 cups of elbow macaroni and 2 Tablespoons of salt. Stir immediately to break pasta apart . Bring back to a boil and stir a few times to keep pasta from sticking to itself.

Meanwhile, grate 11/2 c cheddar cheese and set aside.

Drain pasta when it is cooked to al dente. And let it sit aside in the strainer. In the same pot, melt 1/3 cup butter and add 2 cups of milk bring just to a boil. While waiting for it to heat, take 1/2 Tablespoon of cornstarch to 1/3 cup cold water in a cup and stir together till smooth. Slowly stir into simmering milk mixture and stir until thickened. Remove from heat and add cheddar cheese stirring until smooth.

Add pasta back into cheese mixture and stir together and serve.