I’ve always been a little afraid of making waffles.

That’s because waffle irons always seemed a little shifty. I don’t trust appliances that require too much guesswork. Is this enough batter? Too much? Is it going to run out the sides? Why is my waffle sticking? Is it brown enough? Do I smell burning?

Then The WEBstaurant Store offered to send me a Waring WW150 Single Belgian Waffle Iron. It comes with a cup that has the fill line marked on it. The heat elements are embedded in cast-iron, so it browns perfectly. It’s nonstick. And it beeps when it’s ready to rock AND when your waffle is done. Ever since that first batch, I’ve been a waffle-making fool, because this iron takes the guesswork out of making perfect waffles, and it’s seriously FUN. I went from using a mix to test the machine to coming up with these dreamy Chai Waffles with Vanilla Whipped Cream in no time.

So, I couldn’t be more excited that The WEBstaurant Store, which is the largest restaurant supply company on the web, wants to send a Waring WW150 Belgian Waffle Iron (valued at $219) to one of you, too

Continue reading: Chai Waffles with Vanilla Whipped Cream. And a Waring Waffle Iron Giveaway! (Courtesy of WEBstaurantStore.com)

© 2010 Rebecca Crump. All rights reserved.

It’s Labor Day.

I know, I should be focused on savoring the last of the good summer tomatoes and Silver Queen corn-on-the-cob. But weeks ago, during a string of 100-degree days, my belly’s compass inexplicably started pointing towards comfort foods – pot pie, homemade bread, maple-oatmeal scones and big mugs of chai. And once you start dreaming of big, bubbly dishes of soul-hugging macaroni and cheese, an arugula salad just won’t cut it.

So, here I am, standing here with ANOTHER recipe for macaroni and cheese, asking you to love it. Like Julia Roberts in “Notting Hill,” but with pasta.

Continue reading: Meatless Monday: Macaroni and Cheese

© 2010 Rebecca Crump. All rights reserved.

Last weekend, my nephew Jack announced that he wanted to see the Great Balls of China.

A little switch makes a big difference.

Take this Provencal Tomato, Olive and Goat Cheese Galette. At first glance, it looks like a pizza. But it’s actually a free-form tart piled high with sliced Roma tomatoes, black olives, crumbled goat cheese and onions sautéed with garlic and herbs. That might not sound like a huge difference, but the pie pastry is impossibly flaky, so when you cut into it with your fork, it shatters, and all of the toppings that were barely contained anyway just start tumbling down into this beautiful mess of buttery crust and bright, summery flavors.

The recipe says it’s eight servings, but my belly says four.

© 2010 Rebecca Crump. All rights reserved.

It’s always happens around this time of year.

When the store aisles are bulging with shiny school supplies and the leaves are just threatening to turn, I’ll glance at the calendar and think to myself, Oh, crap.

Of course, I’m looking forward to the next four months. Pie-baking, tailgating, merrymaking–what’s not to like? But it’s about this time I remember those New Year’s resolutions I made when I was ready to kick ass and take names. Back before it got too hot. And now it’s almost September, and those asses and names are still dangling around the cosmos, still waiting to be kicked and taken.

If we’re going to do some ass-kicking this year, it’s time to lace up our shoes. And I can’t think of a better breakfast to jump start the kicking than this Magical Breakfast Blaster Smoothie.

© 2010 Rebecca Crump. All rights reserved.

That’s a sandwich day.

Since today’s Meatless Monday, I wanted to share a sandwich that’s truly vegetarian – not just a regular sandwich without the meat – because when you’re going meatless, it’s incredibly easy to get stuck in the “Can I get a turkey and cheese sandwich without the turkey?” rut. This Hummus Vegetable Sandwich has thick, creamy hummus on one slice of whole wheat; a somewhat pungent black olive tapenade on the other. In between, you get the raw crunch of thinly sliced cucumber and the sweet chewiness of grated carrot.  Together, they give you a sandwich that’s defined by its own perfect balance of textures and flavors. Not by the absence of turkey.

Continue reading: Meatless Monday: Hummus Vegetable Sandwich

© 2010 Rebecca Crump. All rights reserved.

Have you seen the episode of “No Reservations” where Anthony Bourdain goes to Uruguay? It’s the one where he gorges on grilled meat – steak, sausages, loins, armadillo – and then meets up with Francis Mallmann, the author of “Seven Fires,”for more grilled meat!

I thought the domino arrangement was just for show, but I stand corrected. Since you don’t rinse the potatoes or place them in water after you slice them, the starch glues the potato slices together and allows each one to have a crisp top half, a soft bottom half and crisp brown edges. Mercy. Making these isn’t easy as throwing a potato into the oven, but once you start peeling away slice after buttery slow-roasted slice, you’ll be able to taste the extra effort. If the potatoes are this good, it makes me wonder about that armadillo.

© 2010 Rebecca Crump. All rights reserved.

Have you had a Lazy Movie Day this summer?

I’m talking about one of those spectacular days where all you do is stay inside, camp out on the couch and watch movies. You don’t fold towels. You don’t return e-mails. You become one with your Inner Sloth, except for one tiny blip of productivity: making movie snacks.

Last Saturday, Jeff and I declared a Lazy Movie Day, and I finally had an excuse to make the Caramel Peanut Popcorn I’d bookmarked in “DamGoodSweet.” Freshly popped popcorn enrobed in sweet buttery caramel and studded with peanuts. I thought I needed to wait for a special occasion to make it, but this stuff brings the party.

© 2010 Rebecca Crump. All rights reserved.

A few weeks ago, I was having lunch at Mom’s with my nephews, Logan, 10, and Jack, 5. We were deep in discussion about exactly what it takes to get in trouble at school (talking during naptime) and what NOT to eat in the cafeteria (spaghetti) when Jack asked, “Who painted those?”

He was looking at the wall behind me, so I said, “You mean the painting of the people walking down the road?”

“No, the flowers. Who painted all those flowers?”

He was talking about the wallpaper.

Some things look more complicated than they are. Like wallpaper. And David Beckham. And this Vegetable Tian.

Continue reading: Meatless Monday: Vegetable Tian

© 2010 Rebecca Crump. All rights reserved.

When I told my sister I was making blueberry muffins, she asked, “Why would you make blueberry muffins from scratch? Isn’t that why God made muffin mix?”

Totally valid questions.

Am I really going to tsk-tsk you for using a mix? Absolutely not. Because if using a muffin mix means that your kids feel like they’re having a special breakfast before school or getting spoiled on the weekend, that matters. But what’s in those muffins matters, too, and that usually includes ingredients I have no idea how to pronounce, as well as high fructose corn syrup, enriched bleached flour, partially hydrogenated oils and artificial flavorings. Wouldn’t you rather just make something with butter, sugar, flour, eggs and big, juicy, antioxidant-filled, freshly picked blueberries? Let’s do this.

© 2010 Rebecca Crump. All rights reserved.

OK, I cheated a little on this one.

I dropped my tart pan on the kitchen floor, and it didn’t bounce.

So, I grabbed a deep-dish pie crust out of the freezer. And, it turns out that Pillsbury® Pet-Ritz® frozen pie crusts came out in 1962, so they fit nicely into our “Mad Men” menu. I love it when Laziness and Serendipity come together.

© 2010 Rebecca Crump. All rights reserved.