buttermilk waffles (optional: wutella).

Happy St. Patrick's Day! My roommate and I are on spring break, but we're pretending to be Irish for the day.

Green's not really my color, so I'm not such a good faux-Irish, but I do have these awesome waffles to share! My brothers decided they wanted waffles this morning. So I left my bowl of half-cooked oatmeal (the poor little oats sodden in a pool of almond milk) in the microwave, and started scooping out flour and buttermilk.

I always do this. Prevents soggy waffles.

The batter came together super easily until the chocolate chips came into the picture.

At our dining hall, there's a sign by the waffle station that orders people to NOT put waffle add-ins into the waffle machine. I never thought much of it, because what do they know?

Well. Let me tell you. As soon as the [Ghirardelli bittersweet] chocolate chip laden batter hit the pan and I closed the machine to let it cook? SMOKE. Lots and lots of smoke. And an acrid burning smell.

It was pretty bad. My parents were out of the house (thankfully), so my brothers were helping me. The youngest ran to get his plastic fan thing to direct the smoke out of the window we opened behind the waffle machine. It was so ridiculously hilarious, I took a picture.

Smoke is not visible in this picture, but it was there in real life.

The waffles themselves weren't burnt, though! It was just the chocolate chips that touched the pan that sizzled. The waffles were delicious.

Sorry, did I say waffle? I meant "Wutella." What is that, you ask?

A waffle, with chocolate chips. Nutella spooned on top while the waffles are still warm, so it gets melty and aromatic. A light drizzling of maple syrup. And whipped cream until you can't really see the waffles anymore.

Not the lightest meal, but delicious beyond belief.

Of course, the Nutella, chocolate chips, syrup, and whipped cream are optional. But I think everyone needs to try this at least once. The Wutella experience is waiting.

Buttermilk Waffles
via smittenkitchen (this is enough for 2 guys with big appetites or more likely, 3 people). note - the term "wutella" is a creation of my brother.

• 1 cup flour 
• 1/4 tspn salt 
• 1 Tb sugar 
• 3/4 tspn baking soda 
• 7/8 cup (or 3/4 cup + 2 Tb) buttermilk (or a mixture of yogurt and milk)
• 1 egg, separated
• 2 Tb butter, melted
• 1/4 tspn vanilla 

1. Combine flour, salt, sugar, and soda. 
2. Beat the egg white to soft peaks. 
3. Mix the egg yolk, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla together. 
4. Add dry mixture to the buttermilk mixture. 
5. Fold in egg whites. 
6. Preheat waffle iron, and spray with cooking spray or lightly grease. Spoon some batter onto the iron (depends on the size of your machine), and bake until machine alerts you that waffle is done, usually between 4 - 5 minutes. 
7. If following "Wutella" course of action: Spoon some Nutella messily over the warm waffle. Add a little glub of syrup, and generously add some whipped cream. Eat with a glass of milk.