Every Saturday morning, my husband and I sit at the table together sipping our coffee and making a meal plan. We typically do our grocery shopping sometime during the weekend, so it has become an accidental routine to fill out our weekly shopping list over breakfast in our pajamas. When we are deciding what we want to cook, there's something I can suggest that is always met with a big smile and hearty nod of approval from my beloved - breakfast for dinner.
I don't even have to specify what exactly the breakfast food will be, and really, does it matter? Breakfast for dinner is awesome. Omelets and bacon, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, waffles, muffins... it's all good. Most of the time we'll stick to a healthier meal and keep our breakfast dinners heavy on the protein and light on the carbs, but there are those times when nothing will do except a pile of fluffy pancakes or a thick crispy waffle. This time, the waffles won out!
We like to cook and bake a lot of food from scratch, but we are totally not food snobs and will absolutely reach for a mix when we just don't want the fuss of pulling together a bunch of separate ingredients. This time, we decided to try the Belgian waffle mix from Krusteaz. You only need eggs and oil to mix up a basic waffle batter, but you can totally doctor up these mixes with extra flavoring and spices. For example - eaten with the apple recipe shared in this post, you could add a little vanilla extract (½ to 1 tsp per batch) and the same amount of ground cinnamon to add a little extra flavor!
I eat an apple every day with lunch, but last week's batch ended up being disappointing and mealy. Not wanting to just throw them away and waste them, I thought cooking up a batch of cooked cinnamon apples would be the perfect topping for our waffles! Here's the recipe:
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Cooked Cinnamon Apples
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: Approx. 3 cups
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 3 TBS white sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp brandy
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch of ground cloves
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 4 sweet apples - peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
- cornstarch - optional, for thickening
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, vanilla, brandy, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
- Cook at a gentle boil until mixture thickens slightly (5-7 minutes).
- Add the apples and allow mixture to return to a boil.
- Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples break down and are soft, and the mixture thickens (15-20 minutes).
- If the mixture does not thicken to your satisfaction, spoon out a few teaspoons of the liquid into a separate small bowl and mix with an equal amount of cornstarch. Whisk until totally combined, and then return to the apples and allow to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Previous step can be repeated until mixture has reached the desired consistency.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
Here's the difference in the apples soon after being added to the spice mixture, and then after cooking when they are ready to be thickened up with a slurry. The smell is amazing! Try to avoid digging in with a spoon at this point, though we won't judge you if you choose to do so. I mean, you gotta taste it before you serve it to your beloved friends and family, right?
You want to have decent-sized chunks for your apple cubes, otherwise they'll break down very quickly when stirring and you might end up with cinnamon-flavored applesauce!! Not saying that would be a bad thing...
All we did was follow the instructions on the Krusteaz box for the basic waffle, added a lil cinnamon and vanilla, and into our waffle iron it went! I was pretty impressed with how things turned out. The batter crisped up nicely on the outside. I was most impressed with the texture. As you all know, sometimes breakfast mixes can give you a rubbery or weird texture, but these were light and fluffy on the inside! We'll definitely be using it in the future and I'm excited to have another mix in our arsenal that we can trust!
To serve - we melted a little butter (actual butter for Matt, Smart Balance for me) onto the waffles and topped them with a generous helping of the cooked apples. Can we say comfort food? There's nothing like a fresh fruit compote, and combined with the crispy and fluffy texture of the waffles... oh man, it was a fantastic meal!
GIVEAWAY!! GIVEAWAY!!
Want to host your own Breakfast Night? Krusteaz is offering a fun kit of mixes for one of our readers! The prize pack includes:
Krusteaz mixes:
Buttermilk Pancake Mix (1)
Heart Healthy Buttermilk Pancake Mix (1)
Blueberry Belgian Waffle Mix (1)
Wild Blueberry Muffin Mix
... as well as Krusteaz coupons for free products!
How to Enter:
1. Comment on this blog post and tell me your favorite breakfast food to eat for dinner! - required for entry
Earn optional entries by doing the following:
2. Follow Brownie Bites on Facebook. Come back and leave another comment to let me know you've done so (you must leave the extra comment to get credit!)
3. Follow Krusteaz on Facebook. Come back and leave another comment to let me know you've done so (you must leave the extra comment to get credit!)
4. Follow me on Instagram @ebrowniebites. Come back and leave another comment to let me know you've done so (you must leave the extra comment to get credit!)
5. Follow Krusteaz on Instagram @krusteaz Come back and leave another comment to let me know you've done so (you must leave the extra comment to get credit!)
Winners will be chosen after 11:59pm EST on September 15th, 2014. I will contact the winner via email to confirm your shipping address, so make sure that when you leave your comments you use a valid email!
This giveaway is open to U.S. readers only.
Disclaimer: Krusteaz provided us with breakfast mixes to use to create a breakfast for dinner meal. We will never accept compensation in return for a positive review, so all of our comments about products and things that we try are real and honest!
Oh, and before you go, here's a handy dandy image to use for Pinterest! Just hover your little mouse over the picture and click "Pin It!"
Brian E.
Follow Krusteaz / Facebook: bryan eason
Brian E.
Follow Brownie Bites / Facebook: bryan eason
Brian E.
Thanks for the giveaway… favorite breakfast food to eat for dinner is a Southwest Omelet !
flooderette
Bacon egg and cheese on an english muffin
AEKZ2
Like you on FB (Annette E)
AEKZ2
I like eating a veggie omelet with cheese or a breakfast burrito for dinner.
CATHARINE R
Following Krusteaz on FB
cer5555 at gmail dot com
CATHARINE R
Following Brownie Bites on FB
cer5555 at gmail dot com
CATHARINE R
French toast with bacon and fresh fruit - great for dinner!
cer5555 at gmail dot com
Nicole D.
I love having a nice omelet for dinner!
susan smoaks
pancakes are my favorite breakfast food. i love them.
chris v
I follow Krusteaz on facebook
chris v
I like bacon and eggs for dinner
Breanne
I like pancakes.
Heather Sorrell
I follow Krusteaz on Facebook. Thanks!
Heather Sorrell
I love to eat scrambled eggs for dinner. Thanks so much for the giveaway!
Dara Nix
I Follow Krusteaz on Instagram (dara_nix)
Dara Nix
I Follow you on Instagram (dara_nix)
Dara Nix
I Follow Krusteaz on Facebook (Dara Nix)
Dara Nix
I Follow Brownie Bites on Facebook (Dara Nix)
Dara Nix
My favorite breakfast food to eat for dinner is a HUGE Denver Omelette! YUM!
MARIA simon
Pancakes would be my favorite
Katherine Newton
Pancakes for sure! With a little side of eggs. We do breakfast for dinner a lot! Yummo!
Diane Baum
My fave breakfast food is waffles, could eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Mary Agloro
Pancakes would be my favorite. Waffles are good too but we rarely make them.
LynneMarie
My favorite breakfast food to eat for dinner is French Toast.
danielle Marie
i am torn between waffles and hasbrowns. my faves.
Samantha
I like Krusteaz on FB. Samantha E.
Samantha
I love eating pancakes for dinner! They are filling and great with fruit toppings!
Brittney House
brownie bites facebook fan Brittney House
Brittney House
I love eating biscuits and sausage.
Jill Myrick
I follow Krusteaz via Instagram as dchallenger35 (Jill Myrick)
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
Jill Myrick
I am a fan of Krusteaz via Facebook as Jill Myrick.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
Jill Myrick
I follow via Instagram as dchallenger35 (Jill Myrick)
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
Jill Myrick
I am a fan via Facebook as Jill Myrick.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
Jill Myrick
Our favorite breakfast food to eat for dinner is pancakes topped with fruit such as strawberries.
jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com
Robin
I like Krusteaz on FB - Robin Trexel
Robin
I like Brownie Bites on FB - Robin Trexel
Robin
I love to have bacon and eggs for dinner.
Danielle
My favorite breakfast food to eat for dinner is biscuits and gravy
Erica B.
French toast!
latanya
I follow krusteaz on instagram as sweetums82
latanya
I follow you on instagram as sweetums82
latanya
I like French toast
Becca
I follow Krusteaz on instagram as sbshortie
Becca
I follow your instagram as sbshortie
Becca
I like Krusteaz's facebook page as Becca Okaneko
Becca
I like your facebook page as Becca OKaneko
Becca
I love having pancakes with peanut butter and syrup for breakfast!
Mihaela Day
My favorite breakfast food that I make for dinner is egg veggies and cheese omelette 🙂
Lisa V.
My favorite would be steak and eggs.
Kelly H.
We love to have biscuits and gravy for supper.
Penny Snyder
Love pancakes & sausage!!~
beth shepherd
Biscuits and grave are a favorite around here.
Sue Ellison
I follow @krusteaz on Instagram as suebaby05
Sue Ellison
I follow @ebrowniebites on Twitter as suebaby05
Sue Ellison
oops! I meant Instagram 🙂
Sue Ellison
I "Like" Krusteaz on FB
Sue Ellison
I "Like" Brownie Bites on FB
Sue Ellison
I love having blueberry pancakes, bacon, and eggs for dinner.
Lisa Weidknecht
We love to have breakfast tacos for dinner. (eggs, cheese and salsa in a flour tortilla)
deana c
I Follow Krusteaz on Instagram. calvadeana
deana c
I Follow me on Instagram @ebrowniebites. calvadeana
deana c
I Follow Krusteaz on Facebook.
deana c
I Follow Brownie Bites on Facebook
deana c
My favorite breakfast food to eat for dinner is blueberry pancakes!
nickie
I like eggs, bacon and pancakes
McKim
My favorite breakfast food to eat for dinner is waffles.
Karen Drake
I like to make french toast and bacon for dinner sometimes, my family loves it.
Karen Drake
I follow Krusteaz on Facebook.
Karen Drake
I follow you on Facebook.
angie
Bacon and egg sandwich
Renee G
Follow Krusteaz on Facebook (Renee Grandinetti)
Renee G
Follow Brownie Bites on Facebook. (Renee Grandinetti)
Renee G
Waffles are one of my favorite dinners.
Denise S
I follow Krusteaz on Facebook
Denise Sachs
Denise S
My favorite to have for dinner is pancakes.
Margaret Smith
Follow Krusteaz on Facebook (Margaret E. Smith)
Margaret Smith
Follow Brownie Bites on Facebook (Margaret E. Smith)
Margaret Smith
We like to eat pancakes or sometimes cereal
Deb K
I Follow Krusteaz on Facebook. Deb S
Deb K
I like you on Facebook~Deb S
Deb K
I like to make waffles,and bacon.
David
I follow Krusteaz on Instagram as 1froglegs
David
I like Krusteaz on facebook as David Lintz
David
I follow you on Instagram as 1froglegs
David
I like you on facebook as David Lintz
David
I probably eat cereal for dinner a few dozen times a year, primarily on nights when I get home late and am too tired to make anything. Some breakfast foods, like omelets or breakfast burritos, we eat more often for dinner than we do for lunch. In the morning you don’t really want to put the effort into those dishes, but for dinner it is easy.
Kara B
I follow on Instagram.
Kara B
I follow on Facebook.
Kara B
My favorite breakfast meal for dinner is to do fried potatoes with eggs and bacon and biscuits! My mom used to make this all the time for us because it was cheap and easy!