Instructions: Notes: Belgian waffles are a mainstay at Midwest brunches. Heres our delicious version, topped with ice cream and a warm fruit and pecan sauce.

1 pint fresh strawberries or thawed, frozen, unsweetened 2/3 cup packed brown sugar 1/3 cup butter or margarine 2 Tbsp rum or orange juice 1/2 cup broken, toasted pecans

DIRECTIONS: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and malted-milk powder.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks. Beat in the milk and cooking oil or shortening. Add to the flour mixture all at once, stirring till blended but still slightly lumpy.

In a small mixer bowl, beat egg whites till stiff peaks form. Gently fold into the egg-flour mixture, leaving a few fluffs of egg white. Do not overmix.

Bake waffles in Belgian waffle-maker or regular waffle-maker according to manufacturers directions. (To keep waffles hot for serving, place in a single layer on a wire rack on a baking sheet in a warm oven.)

Prepare Fruit-Pecan Sauce.

Serve waffles topped with ice cream and warm Fruit-Pecan Sauce.

Fruit-Pecan Sauce: Peel bananas, cut in half lengthwise, then cut crosswise into thirds. Brush with lemon juice. Halve the strawberries. In a large skillet, heat brown sugar and butter or margarine over medium heat till the mixture melts, stirring occasionally.

Add the bananas and strawberries; cook, uncovered, till bananas are heated through, turning once. Stir in rum or orange juice, then the pecans.

Note: For a quick variation, sprinkle each waffle with 1 Tbsp chopped nuts; crumbled, crisp-cooked bacon; or chopped granola before closing iron.

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