So, over Christmas, I ordered a mini waffle maker online. Because they had to wait for a restock and there was something wrong with my order, I didn't get it until last week. I have wanted waffles several times since moving to Texas and been unable to indulge my desire because in a tiny kitchen where space is of the essence, a waffle maker would take up too much space for something that only does one thing. This little gadget, however, is literally smaller than my hand spread out (and I'm a petite woman, my hand span is not big). Aaaaaaaaaaand it comes in pink. This thing was made for me! If this was a product review blog, the *infomercial voice* Dash mini waffle maker would get 9/10. Makes perfect little waffles, doesn't stick, heats up fast, and easy storage. IT's not complicated, no settings, no flipping, just pour and wait. Only drawbacks are 1. it doesn't have an indicator to show when the waffles are done, so you kind of have to use your intuition and 2. it does drip a bit on the counter when you open it, so just set it on a paper towel. Overall, I highly recommend it for people who live alone or with a partner, and people who would like to make tiny waffles with their kid, or just anyone who needs just a little more waffle in their life. These waffles will also freeze and heat up well in the toaster, I am told.
It's so tiny and adorable!
I've used my mini waffle maker probably 4 times in the week and a half I've owned it because I keep getting ideas and I want to try them. I'm sure the novelty will wear off at some point, but for now, it's all waffles, all the time. So, this week's recipe will be my most interesting waffle creation: Cheesy waffle dippers. This was an idea born out of a desire for something cheesy and tomato-y (If that wasn't a word before, it is now), but not having a suitable vehicle on hand to act as pizza crust. The result was this tasty meal that was like a pizza meets a grilled cheese meets a waffle. It was delicious! You could do this with regular waffles as well, since they end up cut into strips anyway. I even made my own sauce because I didn't want to open a huge jar of sauce to only use a few ounces (seriously, why don't they sell small jars of marinara? I don't understand this). Tomato, garlic, Parmesan, Italian herbs, salt and pepper. Blend for a few pulses. Drain off excess liquid. Done.
Here's my waffle recipe:
1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup cottage cheese (or Greek yogurt)
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp Italian herb blend
Salt and pepper to taste
Shredded cheese blend of choice
Parmesan cheese
Marinara or dipping sauce of choice
1. Turn on oven broiler to medium or toaster oven to heat up. Blend oats to grind.
2. Add cottage cheese, egg, baking powder, and seasonings to blender and blend until smooth. Let batter stand to thicken for a few minutes.
3. Make waffles according to waffle maker instructions
4. Top waffles with cheese and Parmesan and place on a baking sheet under the broiler for a few minutes to melt the cheese and make the waffles extra crispy. Cut into strips and serve with marinara sauce.
Notes:
-This makes about 4-5 mini waffles and serves one person, multiply to your needs.
-Yes, I am aware that cottage cheese waffles sound weird, but they really are nice and fluffy while being high in protein (I may be an oversized kid, but I do still have to think about nutrients occasionally)
This waffle maker will likely be making another appearance on my blog at some point. I'm having too much fun to not. Currently, I'm gearing up for Ushicon and the sewing bug has bit hard, so I haven't had as much time to cook as I have at other times, but that's life. Update on my sewing and con shenanigans will probably happen in the next post or two. I hope you all have a happy Valentine's Day (I'm a single pringle who is going to con this weekend, so I didn't even think about it until now) and a good week!
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