Photo: NBC
One of the most undervalued items in your kitchen has to be the waffle iron. The name would suggest that it only has one purpose, when in reality, it can be used for oh so much more. Today I’ll show you a dozen things that can easily be prepared by someone with little or no cooking experience. Let’s get started!
1. Make sure you set your iron on a middle setting so it doesn’t get too hot and burn your food, but it also won’t take forever to cook. You want that nice, happy medium.
2. First things first, it’s called a waffle iron so let’s cook a delicious little waffle!
3. In just a few minutes you have a yummy snack ready to be covered in syrup, butter, fruit, or whatever you choose. Let your imagination run wild!
4. What about those leftover french fries from last night? The microwave would leave them soggy and gross and an oven takes way too long. If only there were a solution?
5. Oh wait, there is!
6. In just a few minutes, you’ll have scrumptious fries you’d swear were hand delivered by Ronald McDonald himself. Yum!
7. A fun and easy snack is to take a slice of turkey and cheese, roll it up, and devour. But wouldn’t it be great if you could have it hot?
8. Roll it up and pop that sucker on the waffle iron for just a minute to get the cheese a little melted and give the turkey a “fresh off the grill” look.
9. Wow! A snack fit for an emperor!
10. Some of my favorite cookies are Yo Dough. I order them by the box way too often. I somehow missed one from Easter and it got a little stale. Should I just toss it in the trash? Of course not!
11. After just a few seconds in the waffle iron that cookie tastes like it just came fresh out of the oven. This thing saves you money because it rescues older food!
12. Who doesn’t love Nutella? It’s the perfect snack for your cheat day. Be a little naughty. We won’t tell anyone! LOL!
13. You can just take a big spoonful and throw it right on the waffle iron. Don’t be shy.
14. Now THAT’S what I call HOT CHOCOLATE!
15. Need to entertain? Now you’ve got a finger food that’ll REALLY impress all of your fancy friends. They’ll think they’re having dessert at a 5 star restaurant!
16. The problem with BBQ chips is that they’re never hot enough, right? Well save your time writing those letters to chip manufacturers because now YOU’RE the chip chef!
17. Toss a few on the WI (waffle iron) then cover them in as much hot sauce as you’d like. Now THAT’S a spicy meatball! They’re actually chips, but that’s an old saying. A waffle iron doesn’t turn chips into meatballs. My apologies.
18. Some people ask me if a waffle iron can even make your favorite beverage better. What’s my answer?
19. You’re darn right it can!
20. I’m no doctor, but I’m almost positive the heat cooks out all the calories. A guilt-free soda that’s also delicious AND healthy? Sign me up!
21. Got some extra Girl Scout Cookies from when you were trying to impress that single mom by buying up all of her daughter’s cookies, only to find out she “wasn’t really looking for anything serious right now?”
22. Turn a late night snack…
23. Into a GREAT night snack!
24. Mashed potatoes are so 2008. The new, hot trend is SMASHED potatoes! And guess what? You can make them yourself!
25. Simply slice up some potatoes and toss them on the waffle iron.
26. Hmm, those look good, but if you want them to be like the kind you see on the Food Network, you have to be willing to put in the extra work.
27. That’s why the waffle iron is great for TWICE BAKED smashed potatoes!
28. Is man’s best friend pawing at your leg? HAHAHA He doesn’t need to go potty. He wants to get in on the cooking action!
29. Why not “toss him a BONE” and let the waffle iron turn his boring old snacks into treats that’ll keep him off the streets. Hey that rhymed!
30. Wow is the Prime Minister of a country coming over? Now we know how the other half lives! Mouth watering!
31. Got a hot movie you want to watch tonight?
32. Now it’s even hotter! Hace caliente!
33. Dinner AND a movie? I thought we were just going to be friends! LOL!
34. Heck, just throw the whole case on there. You’ve got the fire department on speed dial, right?
35. Hey who invited Mario Batali over to cook dinner?!
36. Do you have years of built up aggression because nothing you did was ever enough for your dad? Did he lose your college money at the horse track because “a sure thing” once again didn’t pan out the way he expected? Does he say he loves you, but you can see in his eyes that he’s deeply disappointed you never showed an interest in the family business?
37. Let the waffle iron cook away your anxiety! Is this what you wanted dad?!?!
38. It wouldn’t be dad if it weren’t soaked in beer, right? How’s that, dad? I’m soooo sorry I’m not like my brother Craig who has it all together. MAYBE I DON’T WANT TO BE LIKE CRAIG! HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT OF THAT? NO. OF COURSE YOU HAVEN’T BECAUSE CRAIG OWNS A PRIUS!
39. WHY DON’T WE JUST LET EVERYTHING BE SOAKED IN BEER? I KNOW YOU WEREN’T SICK THE DAY OF MY HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION SO YOU CAN STOP WITH THAT LIE!
40. And there you have it! With just a little creativity you can turn those mundane meals into FUNdane meals! I don’t remember the last time I truly smiled! Enjoy your waffle iron and congrats on being the new, hot chef in town!
