Rise 'n Shine

Waffles seem like special food. Maybe it's just the requirement of having a hot iron ready to transform decadent batter into a great dish that's moist on the inside and crisp on the outside. Maybe it's the time taken to make them, which usually leaves them in the realm of weekend breakfasts or -- for me, at least -- weeknight dinners. At any rate, they make a meal seem like an occassion when I have the opportunity to enjoy them. But they take on even more focused fun when special flavors are involved. My favorite is, of course, chocolate.

Before you think chocolate waffles sound too hard or too decadent, consider that putting together the batter for chocolate waffles is no harder than making a standard waffle batter. And as for too decadent, I don't believe there is such a thing when it comes to waffles. That said, these aren't particularly rich, all things considered. You could even add a sprinkle of chocolate chips to the finished product as a topping and not be in roll-your-eyes territory yet!