Baked Waffles (aka German Pancakes)

Baked waffles (also known outside of my family as German Pancakes and Dutch Babies) are delicious and super easy to make. But I hadn't made them for a very long time, and they fell into obscurity until my sister Neoma reminded me of them. These are pictures of the first one we made here in Spain.

I have never seen one look quite this big and chunky.

I've also never cooked one in such a big pan.

It deflates quickly after you take it out, but it is still delicious!!!!

Recipe

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

1/4 tea salt

Preheat oven to 450 F or 232 C

Mix all ingredients together.

Melt 1 tbsp butter into the bottom of the pan in the oven.

Remove pan from oven and quickly pour the batter in then replace it back in the oven.

Cook for 12 minutes, keeping a close on it, in case it rises too close to the heating element.

Enjoy topped with powdered sugar, cinnamon and sugar, jam, or just plain.

It's the best!!!

Sunrise on the Mediterranean

These are pictures I took of sunrise over the Mediterranean Sea. The first one looks black, but there were stars out, I promise.

 

Ronda

While down on the Costa del Sol, we decided to take a day trip inland to one of Spain's famous white cities, Ronda. The home of modern day bull fighting, banditos, and some of the most breathtaking views I have seen in my life.

Pictures with statues and things like Francisco Romeo, the first man to unite both noble and peasant bullfighting into what is now the modern sport, both legitimizing it, and bringing it to the fore of the entertainment of his day. The face hole pictures are out in front of the bandito museum (only 3 Euros, totally worth it if you have the time). The bottom center is a mannequin of a traditional bandito with funny hat, bandana, huge mutton chops, and gators, also found in the bandito museum.

These are all pictures from a beautiful old house that was converted into an archeological museum. the left two pictures are from the backyard patio, and the others are from the interior courtyard. I thought the woodwork was wonderful.

These are pictures of, around, and from the "new" bridge, built from the 1750's to the 1790's.

Marbella Beach

Pictures from the beautiful beach in Marbella (it's known for it's great beach.)

It's a shower! Literally!

Credit: Michelle Crapo

 

I decided that it would be a fun thing to go play in the surf so I rolled my pants up and went out. I got wet a couple times and the top picture, I'm actually jumping off a rock just as a wave crashed into it. I'm pretty sure the wave still got me though.

Holidays in Málaga Province

For the New Years break (Spain has two weeks of vacation after Christmas) we went south to the Costa del Sol. We stayed at a hotel near the beach halfway between Málaga and Marbella, just south of Fuengirola.

Michelle was sooo excited by the view from this castle up on the hill.

This is the huge paving stone driveway up to an old castle on a hill near where we stayed.

There were paddle boats for rent stashed under a bridge. Very cool, but I'm pretty sure it was too late to take them out on the river, and/or ocean.

In a mall where we stopped to find some dinner, they this hilarious children's toy. You get to ride a horse with a pistol attached to it and shoot little cartoon Indians as they prance by. I guy Spain isn't too worried about being politically correct.

More than Christmas, Spaniards celebrate Three Kings Day (5th of January). On that day, the three kings, or wise men, bring presents to the children. We found they fellows in the mall with hordes of kids lined up to tell them what they want for Christmas, like little Spanish Ralphies. Mostly on Christmas, people just spend time with their families, and have a big dinner Christmas Eve.