Pumpkin Pecan Belgian Waffles

Have you ever had one of those days where you just felt like you had eat something pumpkin?  Weird right?  I was out east for a few days where everything looked and felt like fall.  The wineries were buzzing as the grapes were being harvested.  Farm stands were at their best, brimming with cauliflower, broccoli, apples and beautiful fall chrysanthemums.  There were bales of hay, corn mazes and the most sincere pumpkin patches.  I was so looking forward to this little trip, a few days of tasting wine, dining on local seafood, and soaking up the NOFO ambiance,  but unfortunately the weather did not cooperate and I had a nasty head cold the whole time.  Head cold + wine tasting= bad combination.  I went through "the motions" with everyone else, so not to be the party pooper,  but I felt as if my head was in a cloud and secretly longed to be under the covers in my own bed.  I did manage to shoot a few pictures one day.  The sun poked in and out between showers.

Looking toward Shelter Island

A break of sunshine

A beautiful window

A lovely wall

A rainy day picnic

When we got home yesterday, home never looked so good.  I climbed into bed early last night, turned on the TV and drifted in and out of sleep.  At one point I heard the phone ring.  It was Melissa calling to say that she would be stopping by in the morning to pick up some packages that had been delivered to our house.  What I'm about to say next, well, I'm not sure it really happened, but just as she was hanging up the phone, I thought I heard Melissa say..."and make something pumpkin".  Seriously, it's kind of an odd thing to say, but not really odd if you know Melissa (she likes to plant subliminal messages about food).
 
I woke up about 4:00 am and thought, maybe I'll bake pumpkin muffins today.  Then I remembered that I didn't have any crystallized ginger...so scratch that one.  I fell back into a deep sleep.  When I awoke a few hours later, pumpkin waffles were on my brain.  I felt a little more human, so I decided to have some pumpkin waffles ready for Melissa when she came by this morning.  Melissa showed up as expected.  I asked her if she would like a pumpkin waffle.  With a smile on her face, "sure" is all she said.   We chatted while she ate her waffle.  She seemed happy to indulge, but I never asked her if she really said, "make something pumpkin."  I'm beginning to think it might have been a dream or else she would have commented and said something like, "ahhh, you heard me; you really did make something pumpkin."   Any way, Melissa has come and gone, and I quickly began to fade again.  Thank you Paul, for being my clean up crew.

Pumpkin waffles should taste like pumpkin pie,  but in waffly kind of way.  By that I mean, use the spices that you like to put in your pumpkin pie, if you make pumpkin pie.  If you don't, you will have the task of figuring out which spices you like in pumpkin pie.  Not all pumpkin pie is created equal.  Experiment with your spices or just follow my lead.  I like to make pecan-pumpkin pie, so I put pecans in the waffles.  Melissa does not like pecans, so I divided the batter, and only added pecans to one half.   If you like pecans, I highly suggest you add them to the batter.  If you don't, just make plain ole pumpkin waffles and think autumnal thoughts.  This recipe is an adaptation derived from a few waffle and pumpkin pie recipes.  I can't credit anyone in particular.

Pecan Pumpkin Belgian Waffles
Click here for printable recipe

Makes 8  Belgian waffles

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
• 1 pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup solid packed canned pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
• 1/2 cup pecans, well chopped 

You will also need cooking spray and a Belgian waffle iron.  I have this inexpensive waffle iron and it works like a charm.  

Directions

1. Preheat waffle iron
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt together in a small mixing bowl.
3. In a larger bowl, beat together pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, milk, and melted butter.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  Gently mix until combined.  
5. Fold in the chopped pecans.
6. Spray waffle iron with cooking spray, spoon batter into waffle iron and follow cooking directions for your waffle iron.  Mine has an idiot light that comes on when they are done.  Generally, they stop steaming and cooking time is about 4 minutes.  I usually leave mine in another minute after the light comes on.  I prefer my waffles on the well done side.
7. Serve with butter and warm maple syrup.

Enjoy!

Sorry Madonna, I love hydrangeas