Overnight yeasty waffles

Remember me saying I really, really wanted to buy the huge container of instant yeast and freeze it because my grocery didn't have instant yeast (only active dry yeast)? Well, I haven't yet, but I made Mark Bittman's Overnight Waffles, using yeast, and oh. em. gee. These are the best waffles I've ever had -- crunchy on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside, with a sourdough yeasty flavor that I just loved.

Recipe (makes 4):

1/2 teaspoon Instant yeast
2 cupsAll purpose flour
1 tablespoonSugar
1/2 teaspoonSalt
2 cupsmilk
8 tablespoons Butter; melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Canola Oil; for brushing on waffle iron
2 eggs

1. Before going to bed, combine the dry ingredients and stir in the milk, then the butter and vanilla. The mixture will be loose. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight at room temperature.

2. Brush the waffle iron lightly with oil and preheat it. Separate the eggs and stir the yolks into the batter. Beat the whites until they hold soft peaks. Stir them gently into the batter. (I just stirred the eggs into the batter without separating them. Seemed to work well.)

3. Pour batter onto the waffle iron and bake until the waffle is done, usually 3 to 5 minutes, depending on your iron. Serve immediately or keep warm for a few minutes in a low oven.

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Seriously, even though Ross thought it smelled "funny" [editor's note: I think he means "a little like bread and beer"] and didn't like them all that much (an offense for which I must find some other test victims to prove him really really wrong -- any volunteers?), I thought these were the best thing to happen to breakfast in a long time.