There are tonnes of things you can cook in your waffle iron that don’t have to be waffles! If your waffle iron is dusty and forgotten, put it to good use by trying out these cool recipes! From bacon, to eggs, to cheeseburgers, almost anything goes in a waffle iron! Try out these fun ways you can put your waffle iron to work and it’ll never gather dust again!

1. Bacon

Who doesn’t love bacon?! Just throw the bacon onto the iron and the grease from the bacon will grease the iron. The waffle iron will make the bacon nice and crispy, just the way we all love it!

2. Brownies

If you’re living in a tiny apartment or dorm room and don’t have an oven, don’t fear! You can bake tasty brownies right in your waffle iron! Take a look at the super easy tutorial here.

3. Cheeseburgers

Make some waffle-shaped hamburger buns right in your waffle iron! This’ll be a big hit with the kids! Recipe here.

4. Pizza

We just couldn’t leave this one out! The key to making a great waffle iron pizza is cooking the dough in the iron first until it’s almost completely cooked. Pack on the toppings and leave the iron open and wait until the cheese melts. This recipe uses an oven to melt the cheese, but you can also use the mentioned method to melt it.

5. Doughnuts

Make breakfast easy by making your very own homemade doughnuts! You can also freeze the doughnuts so you’ll always have some on hand! Tutorial here.

6. Omelettes

Making omelettes in a waffle maker is great for those without a stove. Simply mix up your favorite recipe and pour it into the waffle iron. The result is a super tasty, light, and fluffy omelette! Recipe here.

7. French Toast

Another breakfast favorite, this waffle iron French toast is a piece of cake to put together – even on busy weekday mornings! Get the recipe here.

8. Hashbrowns

Making hashbrowns has never been easier! Whip up a batch of tasty hasbrowns for the kids in only 3 steps! Tutorial here.

9. Grilled Cheese

Also great for dorm room cooking, this waffle iron grilled cheese sandwich can be made in a snap! Crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, it’ll quickly become a family favorite! Video tutorial here.

10. Macaroni and Cheese

You didn’t think it was possible, did you? If you’re stuck without an oven, making mac and cheese is no problem if you’ve got your trusty waffle iron around! Tutorial here.

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We just love pizza, and we are always looking for new recipes and toppings. These pizza wheels are so unique, that you MUST give them a try. They would be a great snack to serve for your next movie night! Don’t forget to make lots of extras, because they’ll be gone in minutes! You can use store-bought frozen pizza dough in this recipe, which will save you prep time, and help you get these bad boys to the table fast!

Delicious Pizza Wheels

Try this unique take on pizza for your next movie night! Serve up these pizza wheels with your favorite dipping sauce and sprinkle them with Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

• 1 package frozen pizza dough (or freshly bought or homemade)
• 1/3 cup marinara sauce (plus more for dipping)
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2-2/3 cup shredded mozzarella
• 24-30 thinly sliced pepperoni
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (medium grind)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 F. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out until it’s 1/8″ thick.
2. Spread the marinara sauce sparingly over the dough. Top with oregano and garlic.
3. Sprinkle over mozzarella and top with pepperoni.
4. Start at one end and carefully roll the dough into a large, tight log. Place it onto a cutting board seam side down.
5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
6. Take the pizza log out of the fridge and cut 1-1 1/2″ pinwheels from the log.
7. Dredge one cut side of each pinwheel with cornmeal and place cornmeal side down onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. Sprinkle each wheel with Parmesan cheese and bake for 16-20 minutes, or until golden brown.
9. Allow the pinwheels to cool for 5 minutes. Add more Parmesan if you like. Serve with marinara sauce for dipping.

Photos and recipe: Spoon Fork Bacon.

Pizza dough is one of those things that sometimes when you make it yourself it can either be a hit or a miss. We’ve got the whole process down pat for you in this article, and soon you’ll be whipping up your own pizzas in no time! So, put on your apron and follow along with our easy steps!

Pizza Dough Ingredients:

– 1 package (2-1/4 tsp) active-dry yeast

– 1-1/2 cups very warm water (110°F)

– 4 cups all-purpose flour + more for dusting

– 1-1/2 tsp salt

– 2 tbsp olive oil

Making the Dough

Dissolve the yeast in warm water. Make sure the cup or bowl that you are using isn’t cold. Meanwhile, add the flour and salt into a food processor. Process for a minute to mix. While the food processor is running, add the yeast mixture in a steady stream. Turn the food processor off and add in the oil. Pulse a few times to mix in the oil.

Take the dough out of the processor and place it on a lightly floured surface. Flour your hands and knead the dough. Cut the dough into 4 pieces with a knife. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Knead the ball the push any air out.

Rising and Storing the Dough

The next step depends on if you want to make the pizza right away, or make it another time. If you want to make the pizza as soon as possible, put the dough balls onto a floured surface. Cover them with a clean dishtowel and allow them to rise for 45 minutes. They will double in size. You can then prepare your pizza for baking.

If you want to make the pizza tomorrow, you can place the dough into the fridge. Cover the dough with plastic wrap, making sure they have enough room to expand. Leave them to rise in the fridge overnight. The next day when you want to make your pizza, take the dough out and leave it to sit for 15 minutes. You can then bake your pizza.

If you want to freeze your dough, dust each dough ball with flour as soon as you’ve made it. Put each dough ball in a seperate freezer bag. They will keep in the freezer for 1 month. To defrost the dough, take the dough out of the freezer and place it in the fridge overnight.

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Make this pizza cake for your next birthday party and we’re sure that you will amaze your guests! The pizza cake won’t be forgotten, and we bet you’ve never had anything like this! Follow along with these simple steps to make the ultimate pizza cake for your next birthday party!

Ultimate Pizza Birthday Layer Cake

Serves 6

Make this pizza cake for your next birthday party!

Ingredients

• 2 cans Pillsbury refrigerated classic pizza crust
• 1 1/2 cups pizza sauce of your choice
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup sliced pepperoni
• 1 tbsp butter (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 400°F. Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2. Measure the diameter of your tall-sided pan. The pan used here is 6″ x 4″.
3. Unroll 1 can of dough onto a floured surface and press it out into a thin layer.
4. Cut out three 6″ rounds and place on the cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes.
5. Remove rounds from the cookie sheet onto a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely.
6. Unroll the last can of dough and cut out two 6″ rounds from long edge of dough, and leave the opposite side untouched.
7. Place the rounds on cooled cookie sheet.
8. Bake for 8 minutes and remove from the cookie sheet to cool.
9. Line your tall pan with parchment paper, and allow the ends of the paper to stick up and out.
10. Cut out a long strip of dough that’s at least 1/2″ wider than the height of your pan.
11. Drape the long strip of dough around the inside edge of the pan to line it, and leave a 1/2″ part hanging over the outside edge of pan and bottom of pan open.
12. Pinch to seal.
13. Place 1 partially baked crust round in the bottom of your pan. Spread pizza sauce over the crust. Top with pepperoni and mozzarella. Repeat with other 3 layers.
14. For the top layer, place the last crust over the cheese and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Arrange pepperoni on top.
15. Fold the overhanging dough over the top layer of pizza cake to make a raised crust edge.
16. Bake the pizza cake for 20-25 minutes, or until the dough around the edges is fully cooked.
17. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
18. Remove the pizza from the pan and brush with butter.
19. Cut out slices like you would a cake.

 Photos: Pillsbury

We love using spices and herbs! From simple oregano and basil to nutmeg and saffron, there are many to choose from. There are spices and herbs that are common in every day dishes that we use almost every day. If you’re wondering which to stock up on, read our list!

1. Oregano

Oregano is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine, and it’s mostly used on pizza, as well as tomato sauce. Due to its strong flavor, oregano is best paired with other bold flavors to keep it from dominating the dish.

2. Basil

Just like oregano, basil is a staple spice that’s added to sauces and topped on pizza. Basil goes best with tomato dishes. Basil can also be paired with meats, fish, and salads.

3. Rosemary

Just as you would with oregano, rosemary is best paired with bold flavors since it has a bold flavor itself. You can remove the leaves from the stems and just add them like that to your dish, or you can chop them up to release the oils and thus more flavor.

4. Cinnamon

Cinnamon can be used as a natural food preservative due to its ability to stop mold from growing. It can be used in savoy and sweet dishes like chili, beef brisket, or pumpkin pie.

5. Black Pepper

Black pepper is the most widely used spice in the world. Dishes with a cream sauce may require white pepper, which is a milder version than black pepper. Black pepper is usually added after the dish has been cooked.

6. Sage

Because of its minty taste, sage is often used in sauces for meant entrees like pork chops, chicken breasts, and turkey. It also goes well with squash and pumpkin.

7. Bay Leaves

Bay leaves were used by the ancient Greeks, and it’s commonly used in Mediterranean cuisine. Bay leaves can be used in soups, meat stews, seafood dishes, and vegetable dishes.

8. Paprika

Paprika is a common spice used in the Balkans, Morocco, and even South Africa. It can be used in stews such as goulash, and it is also used in preparation of sausages. Paprika also goes well with tomato dishes, and in chili.

9. Onion Powder

Onion powder is simply ground onion with salt. You can use it in pasta dishes, pizza, and on grilled chicken.

10. Nutmeg

Nutmeg goes great in stuffings and sausages. It also pairs well with lamb, veal, and pumpkin.

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