Pflugerville Inventor's 'Wonderffle Stuffed Waffle Iron' To Be Featured On National TV Show

PFLUGERVILLE, TX — You will never look at a stuffed waffle quite the same way again, thanks to a Pflugerville inventor's gadget to make the breakfast staple soon to be featured on national television.

Mike Bradford (software developer by and tinkerer by night) explains on his website that he got the idea for his Wonderffle Stuffed Waffle Iron while having lunch with friends at a diner along 6th Street in Austin a while back. One of his friends ordered chicken and waffles, which prompted Bradford to muse on the possibilities of creating a cordless gadget to make stuffed waffles on the go.

After searching high and low for a waffle iron capable of storing ingredients within the waffle batter—a fruitless search, ultimately—he decided to create his own cooking device. "I decided to finally make use of that mechanical engineering degree I had earned many years prior and starting designing one myself," Bradford explains on his website.

His invention has already generated buzz among the waffle cognoscenti. And Hollywood has even come calling in the form of a new Steve Harvey show (can you believe Steve Harvey has another show? But we digress) called "Steve Harvey's Funderdome" on ABC. The show featuring Bradford airs at 8 p.m. this Sunday and available online at abc.go.com.

According to a description of the show, it involves a match-up between competing entrepreneurs vying for a cash prize. Bradford told the newspaper audience members at the taping didn't laugh at his invention but were engaged in his presentation and applauded and cheered instead.

That's about all he can say about the outcome for fear of a spoiler alert and violating network television terms. So if you want to learn more about Bradford's ingenious cooking device, visit wonderffle.com.

Once there, prepare to be amazed. The two-part device is placed atop the flames of a stove to preheat it (also works in the oven or outdoor burner). Then, the top part is set aside while coating the interior of the heated implement with cooking oil. After that, the bottom waffle layer is poured in, followed by the desired ingredients topped then with more batter. The other half of the waffle is joined, and the device is heated on both sides over the open flame with the ingredients cooking within.

At the risk of shedding our objectivity, the device is absolute genius. What can you make with it? Funny you should ask, with replies at the ready at wonderffle.com. Therein, you will bear witness to the dizzying combinations one can make with the Wonderffle Stuffed Waffle Iron, from the traditional to the downright exotic (descriptions by the inventor).

As Bradford says on his website, the combination are only limited by your imagination. Behold the grandeur that are stuffed waffles:

• Chicken Stuffed Waffle: A new take on chicken and waffles. Southern fried chicken in a bacon cheddar buttermilk waffle.
• Banana and Strawberry Stuffed Waffle: Bananas, strawberries, and whipped hazelnut chocolate in a classic buttermilk waffle.
• Berry Stuffed Waffle: Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and whipped mascarpone in a classic buttermilk waffle.
• Bacon Cheeseburger Stuffed Waffle: Waffle is the new bun with this all-beef burger patty in a bacon cheddar buttermilk waffle.
• Palak Paneer Stuffed Waffle: East meets West with the Indian dish Palak Paneer (spinach and cheese) in a naan-inspired savory waffle.
• Greek-inspired Stuffed Waffle: This Greek-inspired waffle is stuffed with Kale, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and sliced almonds in a savory waffle.
• Caramelized Apple Stuffed Waffle: Thomas Jefferson would say that the waffle is more American than apple pie. So here's to caramelized apples in a classic buttermilk waffle
• S'mores Stuffed Waffle: Chocolate and marshmallows stuffed in a graham cracker waffle will leave you sitting around the campfire singing Kumbaya.
• Red Velvet Stuffed Waffle: This red velvet waffle has the icing on the inside! Stuffed with a sweet cream cheese glaze and roasted walnuts.
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Stuffed Waffle
  PB & J for grownups and kids alike. The batter is made with peanut butter powder and cooked around a real-fruit jam filling.
• Sausage and Egg Stuffed Waffle: Your typical American breakfast. Now in a waffle.

There's more, so much more. But as stuffed waffle lovers, we're getting a bit misty-eyed, so we'll leave it there. Visit wonderffle.comfor yourself, and marvel at the wonderful world of waffles.

>>> Photo credit: Dvortygirl via Wikimedia Commons