Breakfast Tips

• Waffles show up at breakfast ready and waiting to satisfy. The classic accompaniment is butter and maple syrup, but don't stop there. Serve poached eggs with a slice of ham and melted cheese on the waffle for an open-faced breakfast sandwich. Spread the waffle slices with cream cheese, top them with nuts and then drizzle them with honey. Tempt children with waffle faces: Serve round waffles with eyes of sliced sausage and a bacon slice as the mouth. Or go sweet and use banana slices as the eyes, a grape for the nose and strawberry slices for the mouth. If you're making the waffles from scratch, incorporate cooked, crumbled bacon, sausage, grated cheese or ham in the batter.

Lunch and Dinner Ideas

• Savory sauces and toppings take waffles from breakfast into lunch and dinner. The indentations of the waffles capture and hold the sauce, while the exterior adds crunch to contrast with the creaminess. Creamed beef or chicken on waffles comes together quickly if you have cream of mushroom or celery soup and leftover beef or chicken. Try a quick version of beef stroganoff by heating cooked beef chunks -- or even hamburger -- and mixing them with sour cream before pouring the sauce over the waffles. Seafood works as well. Shrimp resting on the waffle is napped with a garlicky remoulade sauce, resulting in an elegant dish. If you prefer a vegetarian entree, try steamed asparagus on waffles with hollandaise sauce or a portobello mushroom with that ever-versatile cream of mushroom soup.

Savory Snacks

• Pizza packs a punch of flavor. Instead of pizza dough, use a waffle as the base. Spread a toasted waffle with pizza sauce, and toss on a few pepperoni slices and shredded cheese. Melt the cheese under the broiler for a satisfying snack. Another option is a sweet and savory snack with apple slices and melted cheddar cheese. Or smear goat cheese on a hot waffle and sprinkle it with crushed walnuts and a drizzle of olive oil. Slice these waffle snacks into bite-sized pieces.

Tempting Desserts

• Waffles soak up syrups and sauces, so they are ideal for desserts that are layered with custard, cream, ice cream or fruits. Create a trifle by layering the waffles with vanilla custard, raspberries with their juice and whipped cream. Swap out the vanilla for chocolate and, as a finishing touch, drizzle chocolate syrup over the whipped cream. Another idea is bread pudding made with stale waffle chunks, raisins or dried cranberries, milk, sugar and eggs. The pudding sits in the refrigerator overnight and bakes the next day for a comfort-food dessert. For a fast dessert, layer waffles with bananas, French vanilla ice cream and walnuts or pecans. Top them with caramel sauce.