Double Blueberry Greek Yogurt Waffles

These fluffy & protein-packed Double Blueberry Greek Yogurt Waffles are a tasty & filling way to start your day...

This dairy packed recipe was created in partnership with the ADA Mideast. As always, all thoughts & opinions expressed below are 100% my own.

Back to school is just around the corner, & I am sure that most of you all are in full-on prep for the new school year. I know that we are. 

We have been picking up school supplies at the store, doing a little clothes shopping, & making sure all the paperwork is in order for my daughter to start second grade. We have been checking off our back to school to-do list & then checking it twice. 

But did you know that one of the single most important things that we, as parents, can do to make sure our kiddos are ready for school each morning is to ensure that they are eating a healthy, filling breakfast? And one of the best (& easiest!) ways to do that is to make sure to include dairy in their daily breakfast.

In fact, dairy foods happen to be one of the most budget friendly ways to add more protein to your kiddo's breakfast. And more protein means your child will stay feeling fuller longer, which in turn improves their concentration during class. 

Just one serving of milk, yogurt, or cheese includes 8 grams of high quality protein & 9 essential nutrients.

One of my daughter's favorite breakfast foods happens to waffles. This girl would eat waffles every single morning if she could. 

So, I decided to take her most requested breakfast dish & give it a dairy & protein boost by using Greek yogurt instead of oil in the waffle batter. The results? Perfectly fluffy waffles bursting with fresh blueberry flavor! (And also a very happy & full second grader... )

Cinnamon Roll Topping {For Waffles or Pancakes!}

I am sure many of you have stumbled upon those recipes for cinnamon swirl pancakes and waffles on the internet.  You know the ones where you pour the cinnamon batter into a piping bag and artfully swirl in into your pancake batter before you flip it so that the end product actually mimics it's cinnamon roll counterpart?  

Have any of you all ever tried doing that?

Well I have and while the results were beyond delicious (like in the OMGee realm, you all), the mess that it left my griddle in was less than stellar.  And my cinnamon swirls... well, didn't stay pretty swirls.  They kind of got all muddled in with the pancake batter. 

Again, delicious but not pretty.

So, I thought why not eliminate the huge mess those cinnamon swirls leave on my griddle and my waffle maker and that damn piping bag since my pancakes and waffles didn't stay perfectly cinnamon swirled anyways?

I decided to whip up a cinnamon topping and a cream cheese icing topping for my most recent batch of waffles.  Combined and poured over top of our waffles, it tasted almost like we were digging into freshly baked cinnamon rolls. 

Honestly, it was almost as delicious as the cinnamon swirled ones I had made before, but was much easier and a whole lot less messy. ;)

What you will need for the cinnamon swirl topping:

1/2 stick of butter, melted

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 tbsp cinnamon

Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl.  Add in the brown sugar and cinnamon and then stir until combined.

What you will need for the cream cheese icing topping:

1/2 stick of butter, softened

2 oz of cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2-3 tbsp of milk

Cream together the butter and cream cheese.  Whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Add 2-3 tbsp of milk and whisk until it is a good consistency for drizzling.

I found this made slightly more icing topping than cinnamon topping, but I may have been a little overly generous with the cinnamon topping.  Just maybe... ;)

This should make enough topping for 4 round waffles (or 2 if you like the pour it on like I do).

Just whip up a batch of waffles (or pancakes... maybe even French toast? ;) ) using your favorite boxed mix or homemade recipe.  (Did you happen to catch my recipe for Homemade Belgian Waffle Mix yesterday? :) )  Then pour over the cinnamon topping and then the cream cheese frosting.  There is no need for butter on these waffles- trust me, the toppings are rich enough. 

What is your favorite waffle topping? :)

And pssstttt... Today is the last day to get entered to win a $15 Shop Credit from Simply {Darr}ling!!  That $15 shop credit could buy you this snuggly, soft baby blanket... :)

Cinnamon Roll Topping {For Waffles or Pancakes}

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1-2 minutes

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Ingredients (Enough to top 2-4 waffles/panc)

For the cinnamon swirl topping

• 1/2 stick of butter, melted
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tbsp cinnamon

For the cream cheese icing topping

• 1/2 stick of butter, softened
• 2 oz of cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2-3 tbsp of milk

Instructions

For the cinnamon swirl topping

Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl. Add in the brown sugar and cinnamon and then stir until combined.

For the cream cheese icing topping

Cream together the butter and cream cheese. Whisk in the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add 2-3 tbsp of milk and whisk until it is a good consistency for drizzling.

Just whip up a batch of waffles (or pancakes... maybe even French toast? ;) ) using your favorite boxed mix or homemade recipe. Then pour over the cinnamon topping and then the cream cheese frosting.

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Strawberry Cheesecake Waffles

One of my family's all time favorite decadent breakfast treats when we eat out at a certain restaurant that may or may not be international and houses pancakes, is their New York Cheesecake Pancakes with strawberry topping.  I am usually the girl who orders eggs, bacon, and hash browns with biscuits when we go out.  Not the pancake girl.  But I cannot help but order these every time we go there which isn't often enough. (And shhhhh... just zip it about the crazy number of calories in that breakfast, k? ;) )

My husband and I didn't do much for each other in the way of Christmas gifts this year, but I did have one lovely surprise waiting for me under the tree Christmas morning- a brand spanking new waffle maker! 

Thus was born the idea for trying to recreate what they do so well with those cheesecake pancakes, but in waffle form. 

What you will need:

For the cheesecake waffles:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened slightly (I used 1/3 less fat.)

1/2 tub of Cool Whip (I used Lite.)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

Enough waffle batter for 4-5 waffles (I used a box mix. You could also use your favorite homemade recipe.)

For the strawberry topping:

2 cups of fresh strawberries, hulled & sliced

1/3 cup sugar

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp vanilla

Line a 9x9 glass pan with parchment paper, allowing a couple of inches of paper to hang off either side.

In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar.  Add in the Cool Whip, vanilla, and sour cream and beat until smooth and creamy.  

Spread the cheesecake mixture into the prepared pan.  Sprinkle the entire top of the cheesecake with the graham cracker crumbs.  

Place in the freezer overnight.

The next morning, whip up your waffle batter.  

Take your frozen cheesecake and remove it from the pan using the parchment paper.  Peel the parchment paper off and cut the cheesecake into bite sized squares.  

When I originally made these, I just dumped all the cheesecake pieces into the batter and mixed them in.  This was okay for the first two waffles, but by the third and the fourth most of the cheesecake bites had softened and were melting into the batter.  If you like having the nice little chunks of cheesecake to bite into in your waffles, I would suggest to scooping out the batter you need for one waffle into a separate bowl and then mixing in 1/5 of the cheesecake pieces into the batter right before pouring it onto the waffle iron.  Keep the remaining cheesecake pieces in the freezer until you are ready to make the next waffle and then just repeat the same process again.

While the waffles are "ironing", make the strawberry sauce to go over top of them.  Combine the strawberries and the sugar in a small saucepan.  Cover with 1/3 cup water.  Heat until boiling.  Turn down the heat.

Mix your cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water in a small bowl.  Pour into the saucepan with the strawberry mixture and mix.  Heat over medium heat for another 3-4 minutes, until thickened.  Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

Spoon some of the strawberry topping over your waffle and finish with a dollop of whipped cream.  Happy brunching! :)

Which restaurant favorite would you all like to see me recreate in waffle form next?  Come on now... I have this nifty new waffle maker, so you know there are more awesome homemade waffle recipes to come, right? ;)

Strawberry Cheesecake Waffles

Prep Time: Overnight

Cook Time: Approx 40 minute

(4-5 waffles)

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Ingredients

For the cheesecake waffles

• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened slightly (I used 1/3 less fat.)
• 1/2 tub of Cool Whip (I used Lite.)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
• Enough waffle batter for 4-5 waffles (I used a box mix. You could also use your favorite homemade recipe.)

For the strawberry topping

• 2 cups of fresh strawberries, hulled & sliced
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Line a 9x9 glass pan with parchment paper, allowing a couple of inches of paper to hang off either side.

In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar. Add in the Cool Whip, vanilla, and sour cream and beat until smooth and creamy.

Spread the cheesecake mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the entire top of the cheesecake with the graham cracker crumbs.

Place in the freezer overnight.

The next morning, whip up your waffle batter.

Take your frozen cheesecake and remove it from the pan using the parchment paper. Peel the parchment paper off and cut the cheesecake into bite sized squares.

Scoop out the batter you need for one waffle into a separate bowl and then mix in 1/5 of the cheesecake pieces into the batter right before pouring it onto the waffle iron. Keep the remaining cheesecake pieces in the freezer until you are ready to make the next waffle and then just repeat the same process again.

While the waffles are "ironing", make the strawberry sauce to go over top of them. Combine the strawberries and the sugar in a small saucepan. Cover with 1/3 cup water. Heat until boiling. Turn down the heat.

Mix your cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water in a small bowl. Pour into the saucepan with the strawberry mixture and mix. Heat over medium heat for another 3-4 minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

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Homemade Belgian Waffle Mix

Out of waffle mix? There's no need to run to the store when you can whip up this Homemade Belgian Waffle Mix using ingredients you already have in your pantry...

Making my own from scratch Belgian waffle mix has been one of those things I keep telling myself I need to do, but then the grocery store has a sale on some name brand mix for $2 or less a box & I end up buying that instead.  

I kept asking myself could I really make my own mix for less than that??  And I kept convincing myself that I couldn't. 

But yeah... I was wrong.

Making your own Belgian waffle mix is MUCH cheaper than the boxes you buy in the store, plus my one batch of waffle mix makes much more than what is in those small boxes!

I can usually get 2 breakfasts worth of Belgian waffles from the store bought mix.  I have got 3 mornings of homemade waffles from this batch of homemade mix.

Making the mix is crazy easy too.  I think I whisked it all together, popped it in an airtight container, and then created a cute label using some washi tape (by the way, this was my first "project" using washi tape ;) ) in less than 10 minutes.  

After perusing the internet for some Belgian waffles mixes, I came across this one from All She Cooks.  I largely based my homemade waffle recipe off of this one with a few minor tweaks of my own. 

Easy Banana Cinnamon Peanut Butter Waffles

You all won't believe how incredibly easy it is to whip up these Easy Banana Cinnamon Peanut Butter Waffles...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.

One of my longtime favorite flavor combinations has always been peanut butter with banana. I love adding them both into smoothies or enjoying them together over toast for a quick snack. But I am here to tell you all that Jif has managed to take my peanut butter/banana obsession to a whole other level of peanut butter happy with their new Jif Cinnamon Peanut Butter. :) You heard me right, folks. Cinnamon + peanut butter + bananas= my new #peanutbutterhappy.

You all won't believe how incredibly easy it is to whip up these Easy Banana Cinnamon Peanut Butter Waffles using my new favorite Jif flavored spread...

FROZEN Fun with Olaf Waffle Snacks

I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification for Collective Bias and its advertiser.

Who else has kiddos excited for the DVD release of Disney's FROZEN the movie next week?  

And who are we kidding, parents?  We are all just excited as the kids are for this one, right? ;)

Baby girl and I decided to start getting geared up for the big DVD release by heading to our local Walmart earlier this week for a few new FROZEN toys.  You really can't have too many, you know... 

We were on the lookout for an Olaf plush doll, but people really do adore that lovable snowman.  Anything Olaf has been flying off the shelves.

But she did find an adorable Baby Anna doll to love on among a few other things... :)

Frothy "Almond Joy" Hot Chocolate

Inspired by a candy bar favorite, this rich & decadent Frothy "Almond Joy" Hot Chocolate is the perfect addition to a cozy weekend brunch...

Thank you to Blendtec for sponsoring this recipe post. The recipe and opinions in this post are 100% mine.

If you ask me, cold winter weekends were just made for warm, cozy brunches at home. I mean, who wants to bundle up, get everyone in the car, and brave the freezing temps for breakfast out at your favorite brunch spot? And you have no reason to when you can stay at home with a huge stack of homemade waffles, your family's favorite toppings, and mugs of this warm & rich Frothy "Almond Joy" Hot Chocolate.

I do have to confess that I have always been more of a packets of hot cocoa mix kind of gal. I mean, it is easy, peasy, right? You dump the packet into a mug, pour in hot water or milk, stir, & done. 

But while the instant stuff is great in a pinch (or when you are feeling lazy), cozy weekend brunches at home with the family call for something a little more decadent. I do save the good stuff- like this Frothy "Almond Joy" Hot Chocolate- for more special occasions... or sometimes just because. ;) And you know what? Making hot chocolate from scratch really doesn't take that many more steps than making the packet stuff, and it happens to be 10 times better. Trust me on this...

Foodie On a Budget- Chile con Pollo (& the $5 Grocery Budget Conclusion!)

As those of you who have been following along know, my husband and I wrapped up our successful $5 Grocery Budget Challenge last Friday.  (Click here for my initial post on our grocery budget challenge, including my meal plan for the week.)  The only two things that we bought at the grocery store last week were a loaf of bread and shredded mozzarella cheese.

I had planned to make something like a white chicken chili for dinner Wednesday evening, but it evolved into something more like a Mexican chicken stew.  A Chile con Pollo! ;) 

What you will need:
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (I used the half that I had leftover from my Summer Pomodoro Sauce from Sunday.)
2 tbsp of canola oil
2 tsp of Penzeys Arizona Dreaming spice blend (You could also use a combination of chili powder and cumin in lieu of this spice blend.)
2 tbsp of flour
1 1/2 cups of cooked chicken (I had some roasted chicken frozen in my freezer from when I made my Slow Cooker "Roast" Chicken a couple of weeks ago.)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup of frozen or fresh corn kernels
4 cups of chicken broth
1 tbsp of brown sugar
salt, to taste

Go ahead and chop and mince up all of those veggies.  I put the onion and garlic in one bowl and the peppers together in another bowl.  Set those aside.  In a large stock pot or dutch oven, heat about 2 tbsp of canola oil over medium heat.  When oil is heated, add the onions and garlic and saute for about 1 minute.

 Next add the jalapeno pepper and red bell pepper, and saute with the onion and garlic for another 2-3 minutes.  In a small bowl, mix together the Arizona Dreaming (or your chili powder and cumin) with the flour.  Add the flour mixture to the veggies in your pot and cook for another minute.  

Now add your cooked chicken to the pot and stir with the pepper mixture for another minute or so.  

Pour in the chicken broth and then season with the black pepper.  Add the corn kernels.  Cook over medium heat for another 10-12 minutes.  Towards the end of the cooking time, add the brown sugar.  I like to add brown sugar for the slight smoky sweetness it lends to the stew.  Taste your broth.  Add salt if needed.

I served our Chili con Pollo garnished with a little shredded Mexican cheese on top and a wedge of homemade cornbread on the side.  (Click here for the recipe for the best homemade cornbread I have ever made, and the only that I will make from now on.)
For Nutritional Info on this recipe, please CLICK HERE.

Thursday evening was homemade pizza night.  We have been kind of obsessed with homemade pizza in this house since I found THIS RECIPE for making pizza dough in my bread machine.  This dough makes THE perfect pizza crust.  I topped our pizza with homemade pizza sauce I had leftover from our pizza I had made the week before and had froze, pepperoni (also leftover from the week before), jarred banana peppers, fresh basil from my garden, and shredded mozzarella cheese.

Friday evening we had planned to have pancakes for dinner, but that day was also payday. And my husband had a friend in town from out of state.  So we all went out to dinner. ;) 

So you may be wondering what did we do for breakfasts and lunches?  We had plenty of cereal and frozen waffles already in the house.  Lunches were usually leftovers from dinner the night before if there were enough.  If we didn't have any leftovers, then we made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or grilled cheeses.

Eating well and eating healthy are doable on almost any budget.  You just have to be resourceful, freeze-freeze-freeze (hardly nothing is thrown out in this house!), find ways to use what you have on hand, and be creative with your substitutions. 

Chile Con Pollo

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

6045042

Ingredients (Serves 6)

• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tbsp of canola oil
• 2 tsp of Penzeys Arizona Dreaming spice blend (You could also use a combination of chili powder and cumin in lieu of this spice blend.)
• 2 tbsp of flour
• 1 1/2 cups of cooked chicken
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup of frozen or fresh corn kernels
• 4 cups of chicken broth
• 1 tbsp of brown sugar
• salt, to taste

Instructions

Go ahead and chop and mince up all of those veggies. I put the onion and garlic in one bowl and the peppers together in another bowl. Set those aside. In a large stock pot or dutch oven, heat about 2 tbsp of canola oil over medium heat. When oil is heated, add the onions and garlic and saute for about 1 minute.

Next add the jalapeno pepper and red bell pepper, and saute with the onion and garlic for another 2-3 minutes. In a small bowl, mix together the Arizona Dreaming (or your chili powder and cumin) with the flour. Add the flour mixture to the veggies in your pot and cook for another minute.

Now add your cooked chicken to the pot and stir with the pepper mixture for another minute or so.

Pour in the chicken broth and then season with the black pepper. Add the corn kernels. Cook over medium heat for another 10-12 minutes. Towards the end of the cooking time, add the brown sugar. I like to add brown sugar for the slight smoky sweetness it lends to the stew. Taste your broth. Add salt if needed.

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Foodie on a Budget: Arrabbiata Bloody Mary

It is Sunday, and Sundays mean brunch, right?  When I think of Sunday brunch, I think of Belgian waffles, fluffy omelets, crispy bacon... and bloody marys!  ;)

Did you ever think of making your next round of Sunday brunch bloody marys with pasta sauce?  Me neither until I was trying to come up with something clever to use my Delallo Pomodoro Fresco Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce.  Why not a spicy bloody mary? ;)

What you will need:

1 shot of vodka (or a little more... whatever ;) )

1 cup of Pomodoro Fresco Spicy Arrabbiata sauce

1/2 cup of water

juice from 1/2 a lime

a few dashes of celery salt

a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

You will note that I left hot sauce out of this recipe.  Hot sauce is really not necessary in this cocktail.  Trust me on this.  ;)

Basically toss all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with some ice.  Shake well, and then strain into a tall glass filled with ice.  I do stress to make sure you strain the drink.  Unless you like a little chew to your bloody mary.  Garnish with lime, olives, pickles, celery... whatever floats your spicy little boat.  This recipe makes enough for one large (think about 16 oz) bloody mary.  

Well, you know I have to ask.... Have you entered the Delallo Pomodoro Fresco Sauce giveaway yet?  Well, what exactly are you waiting for?  ;)

CLICK HERE to enter!

These all ^^^^ could be yours, my friend! :)

12 Apple Butter-Licious Recipes

Ready to expand your love of apple butter past the biscuits and butter?  Here are 12 Apple Butter-licious Recipes to get you on your way...

You all love apple butter. There is no doubt about it. And how do I know?  ;) 

Here are the top Google search terms that are leading people to my blog presently...

Yep! You all do really love homemade apple butter... especially if it can be made in your crock pot or slow cooker. 

What my readers want, my readers get! :) I check often to see which searches and posts are most often bringing people to my blog time and time again.

Presently, my most popular post of the past two months has been my Homemade Crock Pot Apple Butter...