I decided to start something shiny + new over here in blog-land!

You are all aware of my breakfast obsession. This has been well known for years. And from what I've seen you're all pretty big fans of this morning meal as well. So just yesterday I came up with the idea for, Breakfast Friday. We can think of it as our own little breakfast club. A Friday breakfast lovefest, if you will.

And! I want this to be an interactive club that you all get to be a part of as well. Hopefully you're down with this idea!

I figured Fridays were the best day for the breakfast club, since A] You may have a flexible Friday schedule allowing you more time in the morning to make something delicious. B] It's almost the weekend and you're always on the hunt for weekend breakfast/brunch ideas. C] I just thought of the idea yesterday and had to tell you today. Friday.

Friday it is!

So what do we have this week? A recipe that was entirely worth the 12 trials it took to perfect.

A recipe that compiles 1] breakfast 2] cornbread 3] waffles into one lovely meal.

I can barely comprehend the idea of cornbread breakfast waffles. You are familiar with my cornbread problems. And by problems I mean addiction. I also am currently hooked on making a waffle every single day. I kid you not. It takes about 2 minutes of active time in the morning to get it ready and then 5 minutes to cook up to a golden brown perfection while I'm doing other things. Even oatmeal takes longer to make than morning waffles.

Now, you may by wondering why on earth it took so many trials to reach the perfect cornbread waffle. And of course I'm going to tell you.

I wanted to keep this recipe as simple as possible. Something easy to make even if you're not gluten-free using a simple combination of flours. My trials last week left much to be desired. Some were okay upon the first bite but most ended up dry after they slightly cooled. I was using finely ground cornmeal and oat flour but was out of masa harina, my go-to cornbread flour. I knew that had to be the problem. I tried adding almond meal for moisture but the resulting flavor was not corn-y enough.

I finally got to restock my supply of masa harina--I use Bob's Red Mill--and got to cooking. I wanted this to have a true cornbread flavor and texture, but I was also after a crispy exterior. I finally realized you can't make cornbread waffles crispy or they dry out and get stuck in your throat as you try to swallow. No bueno.

I also figured out that a little more butter made a big difference--go figure--and that I needed more milk. If you've ever made cornbread you know after mixing the batter you let it sit to activate the baking powder. It becomes much thicker and quite puffy, as the cornmeal + corn flour absorb a lot of the liquid. And that's exactly what happens with this recipe.

Not having a fully crisped waffle turned out to be the key! It's by no means mushy or too soft. As you're digging in to the waffle it firms up a bit and has a slight buttery, crispness around the edges. The waffle is thick but fluffy. The texture was just what I was looking for. About as close to cornbread in waffle form you'll ever find. It may take a little testing with the temperature of your waffle maker to get it just right. I set mine to setting 4 of 6 and cooked it for just under 1 1/2 cycles.

This led to a tender, cornbread-like waffle, that didn't crumble or dry out while you were eating it.

Finally! Cornbread waffle mission complete!!

Along with a simple berry topping, butter, and honey.

Print this!

adapted from: cornbread

Cornbread Waffles

gluten-free // yields 2, 6-inch Belgian-style waffles

1/2 cup masa harina
1/4 cup fine/medium ground cornmeal
1/4 cup gluten-free oat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk, or 2% milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted + slightly cooled
1 1/2 tablespoons honey

*Best to use wet ingredients that have come to room temperature.

Preheat your waffle maker to just over medium heat + grease if necessary.
Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Whisk the egg until pale yellow, then whisk in the milk, melted butter, and honey.
Pour the wet into the dry and whisk until just combined. Do not over stir.
Let sit undisturbed for 7 minutes. The batter will thicken and puff during this time. After sitting the batter will be very thick [not really pourable] and airy.
Scoop half of the batter onto the hot waffle maker and gently spread around with a spatula or butter knife.
Cook until golden brown. I like to cook just over a medium heat and let it cook for about 1 1/2 cycles. The resulting waffle will be golden brown and soft [but fully cooked through] to the touch but it will firm up a bit as it cools. If your waffle maker is too hot the exterior will become very crispy and the inside won't fully cook.
Serve immediately with the fruit topping, butter + honey, or both.
To store: Let fully cool before storing in an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for 1-2 days and reheat in the toaster or oven, or freeze and reheat the same way.

notes/subs: To make this dairy-free use unrefined coconut oil in place of the butter. It will lead to a mild coconut flavor but will lend the same buttery texture. If you cannot tolerate oats in your diet sub in a high quality all-purpose GF flour blend only for the oat flour at a 1:1 ratio. If you try subbing a gluten filled flour like spelt or whole wheat pastry flour let me know the results!

Berry Topping

1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries
1-3 tablespoons honey

Heat in a small pot over medium-low, stirring frequently and lightly mashing for about 12-15 minutes until thickened.
Taste and add more honey if desired.
Remove from the heat, let cool for about 10 minutes, then serve. Will thicken more as it sits. If you want it smooth, place in your blender and puree.
Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

edited to add: I haven't attempted a vegan version of this yet, but I wouldn't recommend using a flax-egg. I don't typically like the texture texture results using them in gluten-free/vegan baking. My best guess would be: Add 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon ground flax to the dry ingredients + and extra 1/4 cup milk to the wet, while leaving out the egg. Sub maple syrup for honey and earth balance for butter. Use all the same flours as specified above. You can also check out my vegan-gf cornbread recipe + my vegan buckwheat waffle recipe as another alternative.

So!

Here are the details I've come up with so far for the Breakfast Friday club. You in?

I will post a new breakfast recipe every Friday from here on out. Or until I run out of breakfast ideas. Highly unlikely. If I miss a week don't kill me.
You can suggest breakfast ideas or ingredients you'd like to see featured.
The recipes will range from super healthy, to savory, to dessert for breakfast, to brunch, to quick weekday breakfasts, etc.
You can play along! I'm creating the hashtag #bfastfridayclub for Instagram + Twitter so you can share your Friday breakfast, whatever it may be! I'll also post my Friday creations using that hashtag.
Or, use the hashtag to post a photo of a recipe that you've made from one of my Breakfast Friday posts.
Eating out on a Friday morning? Post it!
Feel free to get creative with the hashtag use.
Every so often, I'll include some of your photos on the Breakfast Friday posts at random.

Happy weekend!

Ashley

Are you ready for an epically detailed post about homemade tortillas? I don’t typically do step-by-step tutorials, but I thought it would be particularly useful in this instance. Not because it’s extremely difficult—it does take a trial or 2 to get the feel for the dough—but because I think it’s helpful to have a visual for each step in this process.

Plus, I kind of have a thing for documentation. Thank you architecture school for that!

I’m going to list the directions with the photos but also include a document you can print with directions only. Look for that at the end of the post along with a list of tips. Feel free to add your own tips in the comment section.

Homemade Corn Tortillas

gluten-free, vegan // yields 16, 5-6” tortillas

2 cups masa harina, I prefer Bob’s Red Mill as they specifically address using non-GMO seeds
1-2 cups hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Things to have on hand if you do not have a tortilla press:

- rolling pin
- flat bottomed object – bowl/plate/etc. at least 7-inches in diameter for flattening the dough
- parchment paper – you’ll want to tear 16 squares about 7” to use to keep the rolled out dough from sticking to one another, plus 2 larger sheets for rolling the dough in between
- cast iron skillet – works best for cooking the tortillas
- small bowl of cold water

Things to have on hand if you have a tortilla press:

*It’s completely doable to make these without a press, as I did for my first few batches. However if you’re making multiple batches in one day and you think that might be a frequent occurrence, I highly suggest buying a press. I gave it a few trials to see if it was something I thought I would do again in the future before deciding to buy.

- tortilla press – I just bought this one at Bed, Bath, and Beyond for $15 with a $5 coupon. You can also find them on amazon.
- parchment paper – I‘ve read others say to grease the plates before pressing the dough, but I found parchment paper to work perfectly. I tore 1 large sheet and folded it in half to cover both sides of the press. I had to replace it about every 12 tortillas as it started to thin out tear.
- cast iron skillet – works best for cooking the tortillas
- small bowl of cold water

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

Place the masa in a mixing bowl and dissolve 1/2 teaspoon salt in 1 cup of hot water.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

Slowly pour the water over the flour mixing as you pour. A large spoon or fork is helpful at first but then you’ll need to use your hands.
Continue to mix the dough with your hands and knead it in the bowl for about 2 minutes until you can form a smooth ball that is not sticky or crumbly. Add more hot water 1 tablespoon at a time to help form the dough.

*I typically need 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups of water to get the dough just right.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

When the dough is just right it will have a texture similar to Play-Doh. It will feel smooth and sort of clammy to the touch and should not feel wet, sticky, dry, or gritty. It will have sort of a springy feel when lightly pressed.
If the dough is wet/sticky/mushy, incorporate more flour into the mixture and vice versa if it is too dry. Add water and/or flour slowly.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes to 2 hours on the counter to allow it to hydrate. Do not skip this step!

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

Section the ball in half, and then in half again, until you have 16 similarly sized pieces.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

Roll each piece into a ball and keep covered with a towel as you roll them out.

*If the dough feel slightly dry/gritty as you’re rolling them, keep a bowl of cold water close by and wet your fingertips as you roll to help hydrate the dough. You want to keep that same Play-Doh type feel the entire process.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

Tear off two ~10x10-inch pieces of parchment paper, plus sixteen ~7x7-inch squares. Also take out a flat plate or dish that's larger than 6 inches in diameter.

*I found this casserole dish and the bottom of our dinner plates to work really well.

Place one ball between the 2 larger sheets of parchment and, holding the plate, use your body weight to flatten the dough.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

You want the dough about 6 inches in diameter and less than 1/8 inch thick. If you can't flatten it enough with the plate—I definitely could not—finish rolling out with a rolling pin.
Keep the dough covered with parchment and lightly roll in varying directions to keep it in the circular shape.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

Carefully peel dough off the parchment and place on one of your smaller sheets of parchment. Continue this process and keep stacking the tortillas with the small sheets of parchment so they don't stick together.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

Keep the stack covered with a towel as you work.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

If you want perfectly round edges, trim with a bowl or other circular object about 6 inches in diameter.
Once you've finished rolling them out, preheat a non-greased cast iron skillet [or non-stick frying pan] over medium-medium/high heat.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

Place tortillas on the hot pan one at a time and cook for about 45 seconds - 1 minute per side, then flip, and cook about 45 seconds - 1 more minute. The tortilla should puff as it cooks on the second side. If it puffs you’ve done well.
Adjust the cooking time and temperature as needed.

*I keep mine in between medium and medium-high heat.

Stack the tortillas as they finish and keep covered with a towel or in a tortilla warmer. As the tortillas sit they should stay soft + easily roll.

*If they are crunchy or tear when rolled they were most likely overcooked.

Repeat until all tortillas are cooked.

Guess what?? YOU’RE DONE!!! Now it’s time for some tips, suggestions if you’re using a tortilla press, and then crunchy, homemade chips!

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

TIPS!

Photographed below were my first two attempts at making the tortillas. On the right was the first attempt and you will notice the tortillas are very flat and didn’t puff or char at all. This was due to the dough being slightly too dry, which I didn’t realize since it was my first try. The resulting texture was slightly tough and heavy, similar to what I’ve experienced with store-bought corn tortillas.

After making the second batch and having them puff up a bit, the texture was much more tender and fluffy. They weren’t dense like the first batch. This is when I got the feel for the Play-Doh-like dough when mixing the water + flour together. The first batch has a slightly dusty/gritty feel to it, which I now know means the dough is not wet enough even though it held together.

The amount of hot water you’ll need will vary each time you make the tortillas. Start with 1-1 1/4 cups and work up from there.
The best description I’ve read is that the dough should feel like Play-Doh. It will have a clammy, smooth feel.
This is nothing like bread or pizza dough. It will not rise or stretch.
If your dough feels slightly crumbly, dusty, or is cracking, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time and knead until smooth. If you add too much water, add a small amount of flour to soak it up.
The rest period for the dough is important for the flour to hydrate.
If the dough feel slightly dry/gritty as you’re rolling them into smaller balls, keep a bowl of cold water close by and wet your fingertips as you roll to help hydrate the dough. You want to keep that same Play-Doh type feel the entire process.
When you’re cooking the tortillas, you know the dough was properly hydrated if the tortilla puffs a bit as it cooks on the 2nd side.
If the dough doesn’t puff it may have been too dry. This will result in slightly tough and dense texture.
If the dough cracks horribly or feels very stiff as you roll it out, it is definitely too dry.
Parchment paper is your new best friend.
Once fully cooked, tortillas can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for about 5 to 7 days. Or, store in them in a sealed container in the freezer and reheat in a dry skillet.
I like to stack the tortillas on a cooling rack as I cook them—keeping them covered with a towel--and let them rest fro about 10 minutes before eating. I’ve found the texture improves as they sit for a short time.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

First trial tortillas – They were definitely still edible and were able to be rolled but had a tough/chewy texture.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

The second batch were soft and fluffy while still being able to hold up to a large pile of fajita toppings without tearing.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

Shortcut *if using a tortilla press*

After the dough has rested for 30 minutes – 2 hours, I go straight to preheating the pan.
Tear off a large sheet of parchment paper and place it in the tortilla press so it covers the bottom and top plate. *I found it easier to work with 1 large sheet rather than 2 separate sheets. You’ll need to replace the large sheet once in awhile as it thins out and starts to tear.
Instead of sectioning off the ball into 16 smaller balls, I tear off golf-ball sized pieces one at a time, roll them into a smooth ball [add a sprinkle of cold water if the dough feels dry as you roll], press it in the tortilla press between the parchment, then cook as directed above. As it cooks I section off another piece of dough and press it so it’s ready as soon as the first is done cooking. And so on. *If you’re doing this without a press I found it much easier to pre-roll and stack them all as it takes a bit longer to do the pressing and rolling and you want to be able to keep an eye on the dough that’s cooking.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

And now that you have tortillas you will definitely want to make baked tortilla chips. The hard part is already done!

Homemade Corn Tortilla Chips

gluten-free, vegan // yields 64 chips from 16 tortillas

*For the crispiest chips you want to make sure your tortillas were rolled under 1/8-inch thick.

16 corn tortillas
2 tablespoons safflower oil
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or more, to taste
1-2 limes, juiced

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and take out two large rimmed baking sheets.
Lightly oil each tortilla on both sides using a pastry brush.
Cut each tortilla into 4 segments and place on the baking sheets in a single layer.
Top with salt and bake for 8 to 12 minutes until golden brown and crispy. They will crisp up even more as they cool.

[photograph is in the unbaked state]

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

To make lime-salted chips:

Salt the lightly oiled chips before baking. After fully crisped, remove from the oven and spritz the hot chips with fresh lime juice using your fingertips. You want a light sprinkle over each chip so they stay crispy. Let cool completely.
These are delicious with guacamole!

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

To make cinnamon sugar chips:

Combine about 1/4 cup of pure cane sugar with 1 to 2 teaspoons of cinnamon.
Sprinkle desired amount over your lightly oiled cut tortillas before baking. [Instead of salting.]
Bake for 8-12 minutes until crisped and golden brown and let fully cool.
These are awesome with fruit salsa!

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

This post was spurred on after Food52 asked me to create a how-to on making homemade tortilla chips. I soon realized I had to figure out how to make the actual tortillas before the I could get to the chip part. While I shared some of the same content on Food52 this post includes a handful more photos + details to hopefully have you on your way to perfecting your own homemade tortillas + chips! While this process is actually quite simple and most sites give very brief and informative instructions, I wanted to include what I learned along the way.

Print this! A consolidated version of the tortilla + chip-making steps.

homemade corn tortillas + tortilla chips // edible perspective

How about that for a Monday post? Be on the lookout for a very fiesta-themed week on the blog. We never really go all out for Cinco de Mayo but I couldn’t help myself after making the tortillas. A simple mango, avocado, lime salad is up next and then juicy veggie fajitas! And there will most definitely be dessert. Stay tuned!

Ashley