Chocolate Waffle Stompers

In celebration of starting to feel closer to being done with school, I am taking some time to get back into recipe posts. This recipe is one that I promised to give Adair, but forgot about, and am now just getting back to. Basically it's really great chocolate waffles, that are really almost like eating brownies in waffle form. And yes, the batter is pretty thick. I got this recipe from a class at Ace Hardware, and someone said that they've made them with some mint or peppermint flavor in the frosting and that it was very good that way, too. Or have them with peppermint ice cream. They're not too hard to make, either. The teacher of the class used a Belgian waffle maker, but regular works, too, just make sure you spray or butter the waffle maker so they don't stick. Another note on the batter, because it is thick, you have to drop some batter in each square of the waffle iron and kind of spread it a bit. I'm labeling this as a dessert, though I suppose if you wanted it could be a really intense breakfast. And so without further ado:

Chocolate Waffle Stompers

3 squares unsweetened chocolate (3 oz.)
1 Cup butter
4 eggs
1 1/2 Cups sugar
2 Cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 Cup nuts (such as pecans), optional

Melt chocolate and butter together. In a bowl beat eggs and sugar. Add flour, salt, vanilla, and nuts if using. Blend well. Pour chocolate mixture into egg mixture and blend together. Drop batter in each waffle square heated to medium (not entirely sure what that means, I don't really pay attention to that part of the directions, I say 'til the waffle iron is ready) and bake/cook 1-2 minutes. Make one to test it first, see how it works with your waffle iron. Frost while warm.

Frosting

1 square (1 oz) unsweetened chocolate
1 tsp butter
1/3 Cup milk
1/2 Cup sugar
1 1/2 to 2 Cups powdered sugar (to desired consistency)

Melt first 4 ingredients together. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Then drizzle or spread over waffles.

Emily's Baby Shower Salad

This is one of my favorite salads. The dressing is so good. This actually comes from my good friend Liz and it is one of their family favorites. Thanks for sharing. I can never find sweet hungarian paprika, so the regular is just fine and really hard to tell the difference.

Emily’s Baby Shower Salad

Dressing:
1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
¼ cup honey
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon celery seed
dash of salt and pepper
3/4 cup oil

mix in blender

Salad:
16 oz bag of bow tie pasta (cook to package instructions)
1 package of summer salad mixture from Costco or 2 bags of mixed greens from your regular grocery store
1 cup grapes (cut in half)
1 bunch green onions (finely chopped)
1/2 cup toasted pinenuts
1/2cup grated asiago cheese

Mix salad ingredients together and pour dressing over it just before you are ready to eat

Add chicken if you want to use it as the main dish.