I have to admit, when it comes to holiday turkey dinners, I don’t crave the stuffing – although I’ve been told I make a pretty mean jalapeno-pecan cornbread version. I like stuffing in theory, but by the time I’ve made it through the family buffet line, there is very little room left on my plate for the sad soggy center mess that remains. So, I take a pass.

No one wants to eat that mushy middle, explaining why we always have stuffing leftovers. I had a lightbulb moment last Thanksgiving after lying on the couch digesting and ruminating about how I hate wastefully throwing food in the trash. How could I make my rejected stuffing loved and not left behind? And then it came to me -- Leftover Stuffing Waffles! I knew the waffle maker could transform even the softest, spongiest mess into a masterpiece of crunchiness.  While the crispy bits of turkey day stuffing is limited to the corners and edges of a casserole dish, I hoped my waffles would have crunchy crannies, both front and back.

I was little skeptical how this crazy quest for crunchiness would all iron out, but it was sweet, savory, lip-smacking success! This recipe for Leftover Stuffing Waffles (with Bourbon Cranberry Sauce Syrup) can be made with virtually any type of stuffing, including traditional, oyster, sausage, cornbread, or your secret family recipe.

Just add eggs, chicken broth and a few herbs to whip up the batter, lickety-split. For convenience, I used the Poultry Blend Instantly Fresh Herbs, a traditional and tasty mix of onions, thyme, marjoram, spring onions, garlic and rosemary.  Just measure this mix of freeze-dried herbs right into the chicken stock and it rehydrates in about a minute.

Everyone agreed these Thanksgiving stuffing waffles were “next level” and while they are delicious right off the waffle iron, with butter or real maple syrup, I just kept on repurposing my leftovers by making syrup out of the cranberry sauce.  Top your waffles with this Bourbon Cranberry Sauce Syrup even turkey if the carcass wasn’t picked clean!