How to Make Wildly Inspired, Wicked-Good Waffles Out of Anything

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After wrapping up our waffle project, we in Food Network Kitchens kept thinking of new things we wanted to waffle. Let's share the fun: You waffle some foods and share your hits and misses. Here are five tips that will help you through your waffling adventures:

1. Be gentle with cheese-filled things: Whether you're making a grilled cheese sandwich or a quesadilla, be sure not to press down too hard with the top of your waffle maker. We found that doing so made the cheese ooze out and created a huge mess. We loved using the top of the waffle iron to melt cheese as well. Just hold it slightly open over your pizza (or other delicious cheese-topped food), without shutting the top (it'll get messy if you do).

2. Eggs to the rescue: Our first attempts at bibimbap and stuffing were not so great. Just packing the straight-up rice and stuffing mixtures into the waffle maker resulted in a crumbly mess. But a few lightly beaten eggs folded into the mix gave us the perfect waffle shape and easy removal. Try with other leftovers like bread pudding: Mix 4 1/2 cups crumbled leftover bread pudding with 2 large, beaten eggs. Pack some of the mixture into each greased waffle iron section, close, and cook until golden and cooked through.

3. Mostly meatless: Although we're sure it can be done, we decided to stay away from waffling meat and seafood for these recipes. Cleaning a waffle maker can be tough, especially if you don't have removable plates. Like for our cheese and chorizo quesadillas, we decided to use the chorizo as a topping after the quesadilla was waffled instead of stuffing it inside. There was less cleanup and worry.

4. Cake and quick-bread batter: We had so much fun waffling our favorite carrot cake and banana bread recipes. They were quick and delicious. Try your favorite cake or quick bread recipe (zucchini bread would be delicious!). If your batter seems too thick, thin it out slightly with a little milk.

5. Extra insurance: Although most waffle makers are nonstick, we always used a little butter, oil or pan-release spray before waffling. It gave us extra assurance that there wouldn't be any sticking.

What was your biggest waffling success, and what dishes should steer clear of the waffle iron? Let us know in the comments!

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