Who put seltzer in my waffle?

My wonderful aunt gave me a subscription to "Cook's Illustrated" for Christmas, which I love. It gives you recipes which tell you exactly how to do something so it comes out perfect. I am all for being creative in the kitchen, but I am a self taught cook so exact instructions are very helpful to me. My last pregnancy I loved any kind of breakfast carb, pancakes and waffles. This time is no different. My brother and his wife stayed with us this weekend and I made "Buttermilk Waffles". The recipe had some interesting ingredients, but it came out perfect and was so easy. It included buttermilk powder, which may be my new find, I am always buying buttermilk just to use a little and it sits and goes bad in the fridge. It also includes unflavored seltzer, which is alway in my fridge. The waffles had a crisp outside and soft inside, with a nice vanilla scent. The seltzer acts as whipped egg whites would. I have made waffles with whipped egg whites and it is time consuming  and I could never get it right. These were perfect and I am sure I will be making them all the time.

Buttermilk Waffles

adapted from "Cook's Illustrated" June 2010
printable recipe

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbs. sugar

3/4 teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup dried buttermilk powder (in the baking section at Stop and Shop)

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/4 unflavored seltzer water (just open is perferrable)

1. Place rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 250.

2. Heat up waffle iron.

3. Whisk the first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside.

4. In separate bowl whisk together sour cream, eggs, vanilla and oil. Then gently stir in seltzer using a rubber spatula.

5. Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture and slowly add wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. The batter will be slightly lumpy.

6. Spray waffle maker lightly with cooking spray and add about 1/3 a cup of batter for each waffle. Adjust amount according to your waffle maker.

7. Cook until golden brown, keep each batch in the oven until you are ready to eat, up to 10 minutes.

*They reheat well in toasted in a toaster oven