Peaches...and Kittens!

I admit it...I've become my mother!  This week, with just a few weeks from our last big move, I was hit with kittens dropped in the yard of our rental home--three little kittens, but, no mittens:-D  My first reaction was to call every "no-kill" shelter to drop these little guys off.  Lucky for these little kittens, no one answered or they had a recording that they were full.  The next step was to take them to our Vet and have them checked out.  They're clean of fleas, no worms, and actually have had their first distemper immunization.  However, they remain in the one of the bathrooms, away from our 10 year old Ragdoll, Rosie, who looks at me with those big blue eyes as if saying, "what the heck is this!"

Why I say I've become my mother is because as kids, we brought home every animal under the sun and she never said no.  There were numerous cats, dogs, a pair of flying squirrels, a chipmunk, fish, baby Mockingbirds that had fallen out of their nest, guinea pig and hamsters. Realistically, I know going from one cat to now four is crazy, but when your grandchildren say with excitement..."Mimi, you have to keep them!"  Well, there's my mother in me saying, "okay."

Hubby with Harper (the buff one), ZuZu (the tortoise shell) and Clara (the "Russian Blue" gray)

To relieve the stress, I bought a bushel of peaches and made 14 jars of peach jam and this morning made Brown Butter Waffles with a Peach compote.  Our new home is going to be filled with grandchildren and apparently a lot of pets...which is what a home should be:-D

Brown Butter Waffles with Peach Compote

Waffles:

2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour

1 T granulated sugar

2 T finely-ground cornmeal

2 large eggs

4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and browned

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 cups buttermilk (you can make your own by adding 1 T apple cider vinegar to milk and let stand until curdled)

In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together, then add the eggs and buttermilk and stir thoroughly.  Finally, fold in the slightly cooled brown butter.

Heat a waffle iron up and brush with some vegetable oil for the first time; after that, you should have to add any more oil.

Bake the waffles until golden brown.  Dab a pat of butter, add a little bit of warm maple syrup and a spoonful of peach compote for a delicious Sunday breakfast.

Peach Compote:

4 to 5 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced

In a small sauce pan, add the sliced peaches.  Next, mix 1/3 cup of granulated sugar with 1tsp. cornstarch.  Add to the peaches and stir  gently.  Place over low heat, covered and cook until bubbly.  Remove the lid and keep on low heat until ready to serve with your waffles.  These peaches would also be good on ice cream!

This move is definitely going to be interesting.  Our bamboo floors have still not gone in, so we may be living in the basement on the cork floors with our new furry friends! Enjoy! 

Brown Butter~Maple Oatmeal Waffle Cookies

When my husband, Chuck and I were traveling in Ireland, Scotland, and England for our 25th wedding anniversary, almost 18 years ago, we stayed in B & B's and had Irish Oatmeal every morning.  We also walked everywhere and when we returned home we were in the best shape we'd ever been.  I love Irish Oats and still make them for breakfast, however, for this recipe I used an instant oatmeal--one that can be microwaved.  The reason is that I "baked" these cookies on a heart-shaped waffle maker and because they cook in about 5 minutes, quick-cooking oats are a necessary factor.

My dad was as Irish as they come, looking forward to my mom cooking corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day.  When we returned from our trip, I brought my Dad a bottle of Glenlivet 25 year old Scotch.  He said, "that's the trouble with the Irish, they can't wait until their whiskey ages like the Scots can!"

I'm vegetarian and forgo the corned beef, but I will make colcannon (mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage mixed in), my mother's Irish soda bread, and now I've added these oatmeal waffle cookies as a tribute to my roots.

Last year, I flew, on St. Patrick's Day, to Kentucky to be with Kelly and help take care of Ari when she had a surgery to remove the expanders that had been in place since her mastectomy.  After her surgery, she said to me, "this is the best I've felt in a long time."

Sadly, less than two months later she passed away.  Recently, my dear friend, Ellen, who owns an online craft store, shared with me a new stamp she bought for the store with the following message:

Death leaves a heartache

no one can heal,

Love leaves a memory

no can steal

Memories are definitely something that can't be taken away and I have so many wonderful ones of Kelly and my parents that I love sharing.  Along with traditions, we move forward and make our own mark to be remembered by.  Whether you're Irish or not, it's said that on St. Patrick's Day, everyone is Irish!  I'd love to hear what traditions you carry on or memories you have with in your families for this happiest of holidays.

Brown Butter~Maple Oatmeal Waffle Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and browned
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. maple flavoring
3/4 cup Maple/Brown Sugar Instant Oatmeal (2 packages)*
2 T milk
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup Sparkling sugar crystals

Equipment:
Heart-shaped waffle iron or regular waffle iron (not Belgian)

Melt the butter on low and brown.

 Set aside to cool slightly.  In the KitchenAid, using the paddle attachment, mix the sugar and eggs together.  Add the browned butter and mix thoroughly.    Add the vanilla and the maple flavoring and combine.  Measure the packages of instant oatmeal; you should have approximately three-quarters cup.  *I used a brand called 3 Sisters Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal.

Mix in oatmeal, flour, baking powder and salt and mix on low just to combine.  Stir in the coarse sugar crystals.
Heat the waffle iron on MAX heat.  Scoop about 1/2 cup of batter and place in the middle of the iron.

 Close the lid and cook as directed to a golden brown.  Use a fork to remove the "waffle" and place on a rack to cool.

Continue with the remaining batter.  Cool the cookies completely before storing in an air-tight container.  
Enjoying a cookie with a cup of Irish Breakfast tea starts off the day with a smile full of memories.  Enjoy!