Another successful week of rehabilitation in the books and another unsuccessful week of NOT getting the computers fixed. So… will unfortunately need to keep this within my 5 minute limit to keep the peace amongst the homeboys.
Cornbread Belgium waffles and fried chicken.
I made that for the officers this past Thursday at work and it was a smashing success. It was also a massive pain in the ass but nothing great comes easy… right? This was another example of why I am beyond grateful for my job in here and the creative outlets it provides me to step outside my physical world and grow… learn…play… all for work… truly a gift.
A couple weeks ago… I couldn’t stop thinking about a little story that Oprah shared about making “Cornbread” Latkes and how easy they were to make. I was going back and forth with what I was going to pair them with and how I was going to make it happen for 50-60 servings. I did a test batch early last week and honestly… the recipe fell a little flat. They were “okay” but nothing to rave about so I needed to pivot. I love cornbread and figured that I could do some sort of BBQ chicken meal on Thursday and incorporate the cornbread but once I got into the recipe… a few red flags came up that knocked me off that idea as well. But I cannot be stopped so I then transitioned to cornbread pancakes… I would cut them in slices so they could be more of a hand-held treat for the officers on the go and pair this with BBQ baked beans and BBQ chicken. “Yeah… this could be cool but I can do better”… Keep thinking. Then bingo.
Cornbread Belgium Waffles with Fried Chicken. A cornbread spin on Chicken and Waffles. Now… that’s a hit! I find our old waffle machine in the back of the O.M. and fired her up to make sure that she works and success… it’s a go. Thursday morning rolls around and I make a test batch super early before frying the chicken and it is a perfect balance of waffle fluffy-ness with the sweet… textured… cornbread taste and feel. I love it. So… I go make the fried chicken and come back to the OM to prep enough batter for 25 waffles. I get the waffles made and cut in half… throw them in the warmer to have them pre-made for service and I’m ready to go. But as the officers start to roll in for “chow”… none of them want these pre-made (perfectly delicious by the way) waffles… they all want made-to-order “fresh” waffles so the next 4+ hours was spent feverishly making batter… cooking waffles… making more batter… cooking more waffles and sending them out the door to enjoy their meal.
All in all – it was a successful day in the kitchen and one that (once again)… provided me the outlet to put my current setting in the backseat and enjoy the day. This is yet another lesson that I will take with me into the real world and the real workplace… no matter what job you have out there… what perceived limitations may come with said job… there are always ways to innovate and create. And in turn… making the job more enjoyable for you and most likely an elevated result at whatever task you set your creative powers toward.
Stay Healthy. Stay Active. Cornbread Waffles… give them a try!
I am so hungry now for cornbread.
Will have to dust off my waffle maker, Zach. Thank you for the inspiration, waffle and otherwise.
Sounds delicious Zach! I’m a great cook too. Love your spin on the waffle. Nothing beats fresh off the grill.