Waffle irons can be used beyond breakfast

    It’s waffle time.
    Similar to pancakes but with indentations perfect for capturing silky melted butter and sweet syrup, waffles are a delicious comfort food.
    But waffles aren’t just for breakfast. Try a savory waffle that’s sure to warm hearts — and stomachs — for lunch or dinner. And  a sweet version is perfect for dessert, especially when topped with a dollop of whipped cream or scoop of ice cream.
    Variations on waffles are plentiful.
    Add a little chopped ham, chopped pecans, crumbled cooked sausage or fresh blueberries to the batter. Or top a waffle with apple, blueberry or cherry pie filling, fresh strawberries and whipped cream, sliced fresh apples sautéed in butter and cinnamon or orange marmalade.
    Need a side dish? Try a fruit compote.
    Waffle irons can be used for much more than just waffles, however.
    Try making a frittata, hash browns, crab cakes or brownies — anything that can benefit from a crunchy surface.
    Have fun and enjoy, remembering that breakfast — even when served at night — can be a delicious and nutritious meal.
    Following are recipes that use a waffle iron from greatist.com and onegoodthingbyjillee.com.

greatist.com

Cinnamon Sugar Churro Waffles

1 cup flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
Toppings:
Strawberries
Heavy cream, sweetened
Whipped cream
For cinnamon-sugar:
1-1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
4 tablespoons sugar

    Place cinnamon and sugar on a plate and stir to combine. Set aside.
    In a heavy-bottom saucepan, heat water, sugar, salt and butter, stirring occasionally, until butter has melted and sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and add flour. Place the pan over medium heat and cook two minutes, until dough is shiny and leaves a film of flour on the sides of pan.
    Remove dough from pan and divide into halves. Keep one covered, and divide the other into two parts.
    Heat waffle iron and coat with cooking spray, then place two portions of dough in waffle iron and close the lid. Cook five or six minutes, taking care not to burn the dough.
    Transfer to the plate and coat generously with cinnamon-sugar. Repeat with remaining dough.
    Serve hot with sliced strawberries and dollop of sweet whipped cream.

Snickerdoodle Waffle Cookies With Cream Cheese Glaze

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
For glaze:
2 ounces softened cream cheese
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Heavy cream or milk

    Whip butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Stir in egg and vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients and stir until incorporated.
    Spray a preheated waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray. Scoop dough into  iron and cook about two minutes, until browned. Carefully remove and cool.
    For glaze, mix cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together until smooth. Slowly stir in milk or heavy cream to create a drizzle-able glaze. Drizzle over cookies and top with more cinnamon. Serve.

Savory Parmesan and Zucchini Waffles

2 cups shredded zucchini
1 large egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Oil or non-stick spray

    Place shredded zucchini in a colander and sprinkle with about 1/4 teaspoon salt. Let sit about 30 minutes, rinse with cold water, then press out as much of the moisture as possible.
    In a large bowl, whisk together egg, milk and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan.
    In a small bowl, combine flour with Italian seasoning. Combine the egg and milk mixture with the flour mixture. Once thoroughly mixed, add grated zucchini until well combined.
    Spray a waffle iron that’s heated to medium with cooking spray or oil.
    Place rounded tablespoons of batter on the waffle iron and cook three to five minutes, until lightly browned.
    Serve warm and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Caribbean Shrimp Stuffed Waffles and Mango Cilantro Dip

For waffles:
3/4 cup yellow corn meal
3/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon Caribbean seasoning
2 teaspoons sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
1/3 cup red onion finely chopped
1 pound large or jumbo precooked shrimp
For dip:
3/4 cup plain yogurt
2 ripe mangos, chopped
1 lime, juiced and zested
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon honey

    Mix together corn meal, flour, two teaspoons Caribbean seasoning, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
    In a separate bowl, mix together milk, egg and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour into dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Mixture should be fairly thick, but add a little more milk if needed. Mix in jalapeño and onion.
    Lightly brush waffle iron with oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray, then heat.
    Sprinkle remaining Caribbean seasoning onto shrimp. Place a wooden skewer in each shrimp. Dip in waffle batter, then place in waffle iron in batches. Cook two to three minutes, until waffles are golden brown and crispy on the outside.
    Place yogurt, mangos, lime juice and zest, cilantro and honey in food processor and process until smooth to create dipping sauce.

Crab Cake Waffles

1 170-gram tin crab meat, drained
1 tablespoon coconut flour
2 tablespoons almond flour or meal
1/2 teaspoon onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic flakes
1/4 teaspoon massel vegetable stock
Salt
Pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 egg

    Place all ingredients to a bowl and mix thoroughly. Cook in a preheated waffle maker until cooked through.

Chicken Broccoli and Cheddar  Potato Waffles

5 Yukon gold potatoes
1/3 cup 2% milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/3 cup chopped rotisserie chicken
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1-1/3 cup finely chopped boiled broccoli
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 cup flour
1 large egg

    Boil potatoes about 30 minutes, until tender. Drain and place in a large bowl.  Mash, then add milk and butter and mix until well incorporated.
    Stir in the chicken, cheese, broccoli, salt, pepper, flour and egg.
    Heat a waffle iron to medium/high , spray with nonstick cooking spray , then pour in 1/3 cup batter and cook until slightly brown. Repeat with remaining batter.

Waffled Hash Browns

1 russet potato, peeled
Salt
Pepper
Butter

    Using the large holes of a box grater or food processor, grate potato, and place in a bowl of cold water. Let sit about 10 minutes.
    Take about 1/2 cup packed potatoes, place in the center of a tea towel, then twist and squeeze to remove as much water as possible.
    Heat waffle iron, then brush a little butter into the center. Place the potato shreds in the center and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Close iron and cook about 10 minutes, until golden brown.
    Using a thin spatula, gently transfer hash brown to a serving plate. Repeat with remaining potato.
    Top as desired. Serve immediately.

Waffle Omelets

2 eggs
Bell peppers
Roma tomatoes
Yellow onions
Salt
Pepper
2 tablespoons milk
Fresh tomatoes, sliced, optional
Shredded cheese, optional

    Wash and dice vegetables in to a fairly small dice.
    Crack eggs into a bowl, then add salt and pepper for seasoning. Add milk and whisk together. Mix in vegetables.
    Place mixture in waffle maker and cook until eggs are firm. Serve with fresh tomatoes and top with shredded cheese if desired.

ONEGOODTHINGBYJILLEE.COM

Croissant Waffles

1 box frozen puff pastry sheets
For toppings:
Raspberries
Chocolate chips
Powdered sugar:

    Defrost pastry and unfold one of the sheets. Cut into pieces, then lay half the pieces in a hot waffle iron. Add desired fillings, then place remaining pieces of dough over top. Cook until golden brown.
    Top with additional raspberries, chocolate chips and powdered sugar.

Frittaffle

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large red bell pepper, diced
2 cups roasted potatoes, cubed
2 cups arugula
8 pieces bacon, broken into 1/2-inch pieces
Salt
Pepper
8 large eggs, whisked together
1/2 cup Parmesan Romano cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese

    Place oil in a nine-inch nonstick, oven-proof pan and heat over medium-high heat. Stir in red peppers and cook until soft. Add potatoes and stir until warmed through. Add arugula and bacon and stir to combine.
    In a bowl, whisk together salt, pepper, Parmesan-Romano cheese and eggs. Pour into pan and spread evenly. Stir in 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top, then bake in a 375-degree oven for eight to 10 minutes, until set. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. Place in refrigerator for at least two hours.
    Using a 2-1/2-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out rounds from refrigerated mixture.
    Heat waffle iron and coat with cooking spray or canola oil. Place a round in the center and heat until warmed through.

Banana Bread Waffles

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ripe bananas
3 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 cups milk

    Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
    Place eggs, vanilla, bananas, butter and milk in a blender of food processor. Process on low, then pour into flour mixture and stir until just combined.
    Heat waffle iron and spray with nonstick coating spray. Pour batter in iron and cook through. Repeat.

S’Mores

1 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup graham flour or whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup cornstarch
1-1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Melted butter
1 cup mini-marshmallows

    In a microwave-safe bowl, melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Microwave in 15 to 30-second intervals until melted. Stir together, adding a little more oil if needed to make thin enough to drizzle. Set aside.
    In a large bowl,  mix together dry ingredients. Add milk, egg and vanilla and whisk well. Whisk in remaining oil, then add remaining chocolate chips.
    Heat waffle iron to hot, then coat with butter. Scoop 1/2 cup batter onto iron and cook until deep golden brown. Place 1/4 cup marshmallows on one section of waffle, then fold waffle to make sandwich. Close iron for 30 seconds.
    Remove waffle and drizzle with chocolate. Repeat.