Cooking food on your waffle iron is not just a novelty but an innovation that leads to a great end product, all while giving the cook the bonus pleasure of doing something cool, fun, and vaguely nerdy (or giving a reluctant eater―your child, say―a great reason to dig in).

Why waffle?
The Ease! Waffled Bacon and Eggs: First, waffle the bacon--fast, crisp, and no burnt edges--then the eggs, for lacy whites and perfect yolks (thanks, bacon fat).

The Melt! Waffled Macaroni and Cheese: Waffled leftover mac 'n' cheese is a decadent grilled cheese sandwich--golden, buttery exterior and soft, cheesy insides.

The Dimples! Spaghetti and Waffled Meatballs: That's right--cook meatballs in a waffle iron and create dimples where the sauce can pool.

The Cool Factor! Waffled Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies: Break out the waffle iron when it's time for dessert, and make soft, gooey cookies with grid marks. No oven required.

"Dan Shumski's genius lies in asking not what his waffler can do for him, but what he can stuff into his waffler, and following that question through to all of its delicious conclusions"

--J.Kenji Lopez-Alt (The Food Lab and seriouseats.com)