Breakfast doesn’t always come in the morning at the Lawrence home of Greg Naron, Marilyn Pollack Naron and their daughter, Josie.

Sometimes it occurs in the evening, and, on those occasions, you can bet the meal will feature lots of waffles.

“Breakfast for dinner is our favorite thing,” says Marilyn, a trained chef who’s taking a break from her profession to spend more time with family.

“Making waffles for dinner seems goofy and special, and our daughter loves it. You always feel like you’re cheating.”

When the family sits down to a waffle dinner, they typically swap maple syrup in favor of a homemade fruit compote of apples, peaches and blueberries cooked down into a warm, chunky topping.

Other times, Marilyn will take a cue from a German pancake-eating tradition, setting out a bowl of cut lemon wedges to squeeze over the waffles, followed by a dusting of powdered sugar.

Marilyn is one of many cooks who enjoy the surprising versatility of waffles, which, served with a variety of toppings, are easily adapted to almost any occasion — from morning brunch to late supper to a dinner party.

There’s no rule that says waffles have to be sweet, either.

By eliminating the sugar from just about any waffle recipe, they can become a savory dish. Crisply browned cornmeal waffles, for instance, make a great base for all kinds of toppings, from creamed chicken to chili con queso.

“Waffles are versatile. You can certainly make a great brunch out of them, an elegant luncheon, even dinner or hors d’oeuvres,” Marilyn says.

She suggests having a waffle bar as the theme or menu for a get-together, setting out several waffle irons, bowls of different batters and small dishes or cups of toppings at several waffle stations.

“Put out nuts, cheese, bacon, fruits — people think this is lots of fun. You can make fresh apple sauce or fruit sauces. You can serve mimosas (with the meal), dress it up. It’s a fun way to have people over,” Marilyn says.

Warm and comforting

Waffle lovers in the Lawrence area often beat a path to First Watch Restaurant, 2540 Iowa, where they’re a staple on the menu.

“We just serve them by themselves, topped with powdered sugar and butter. Then we have what we call a blueberry compote, which is a blueberry pie filling that we doctor up. That comes with every waffle,” says Tammy Babington, co-owner of the restaurant.

First Watch cooks add malt to the Belgian waffle batter as a flavoring.

“People love our waffles; they order them every day. They’re warm and comforting,” Babington says.

The restaurant is open from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every day, attracting a steady stream of customers in the mood for breakfast, lunch or brunch.

Each morning, guests are offered the choice of ordering waffles for breakfast at the nine-room Halcyon House Bed & Breakfast, 1000 Ohio.

“I would say four or five times a week we do waffles for people. They’re wonderful, served with powdered sugar and maple syrup, and guests can get them with turkey bacon (on the side),” says Esther Wolfe, co-owner of the business, which opened in 1984.

The ingredients in the waffle batter vary from morning to morning, as Wolfe and her daughter, Constance Wolfe, improvise upon their own recipe.

They often serve their waffles with strawberries or homemade jellies and jams, according to Esther.

Waffles round out a hearty breakfast menu that features scrambled eggs with turkey bacon, homemade granola served with yogurt, fresh fruit, pumpkin or poppyseed bread, biscuits and oatmeal.

“You have lots of choices. I fixed all of them this morning,” Esther says.

Good hors d’oeuvres

Marilyn, the Lawrence chef, offered a few ideas for those who would like to nudge their waffles over to the savory side.

She suggests trying a cornmeal waffle batter, in which the sugar is reduced or omitted, yielding a crunchier, more savory waffle — and lots of options.

“You could certainly add fresh herbs right to the batter, and top the waffles with creamy chicken and mushrooms. Or you could do a cornmeal waffle and top that with chili, serve it with chili con queso, or pile it with meat, beans, lettuce and tomato,” she says.

“I also like the idea of using waffles for hors d’oeuvres. You could use them like blini and top them with caviar. Or you can cut up a savory waffle, put it in the oven and bake it into chips, then serve it with fruit salsas.”

Savory add-ins for waffle batter might include: corn kernels; red, yellow and orange bell peppers; chopped hot peppers; grated cheddar cheese; bits of ham or partially cooked bacon; shredded vegetables such as zucchini or carrots; thinly sliced or chopped mushrooms; and chopped green onions or chives.

Cooks making sweet waffles, meanwhile, might try batter add-ins such as: blueberries or sliced strawberries; finely chopped apples, pineapple, pecans or other nuts; dried cranberries or other dried fruit; shredded coconut; even chocolate or butterscotch chips.

What makes the perfect waffle?

“It should always be crispy on the outside, and light and fluffy on the inside, with lots of deep nooks and crannies to hold toppings,” Marilyn says.

“If you watch a kid eat a waffle, they almost inevitable try to fill every square of it. And I think adults are guilty of that, too.”

Buttermilk waffles

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/3 teaspoons double-acting baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, separated

1 3/4 cups buttermilk

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) melted butter

Sift flour, soda, baking powder, sugar and salt together.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until light; then add and beat together buttermilk and melted butter.

Combine the dry and the liquid ingredients with a few swift strokes.

Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold gently into the batter.

Bake in a preheated waffle iron until brown and serve immediately.

Note: You can add a couple of tablespoons of cornmeal to this recipe for extra crunch.

Yields 6 waffles.

Source: “Joy of Cooking” by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker (Scribner, $30)

Crisp-crusted feather-light raised waffles

1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (115 degrees)

2 cups warm whole milk (115 degrees)

1/4 pound (1 stick) or less butter, melted

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups bleached all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Sprinkle the yeast on the warm water in a very large mixing bowl and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the milk, butter, sugar, salt and flour and beat until smooth. (A hand beater does this well.) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand overnight; if your house is no warmer than 70 degrees, you can leave it at room temperature; otherwise, refrigerate.

When you are ready to cook the waffles, preheat the waffle iron and beat in the eggs and baking soda. The batter will be very thin, and most waffle irons will need 1/2 to 3/4 cup batter. Bake in hot waffle iron until brown and serve immediately.

Yields 8 waffles

Source: “CookWise” by Shirley O. Corriher (William Morrow, $30)

Cornmeal waffles

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 3/4 cups milk

1 cup cake flour or 7/8 cup all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal

5 tablespoons melted bacon fat or other shortening (butter is fine)

Combine the eggs and milk.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add the cornmeal. Combine the dry ingredients with the liquid in a few quick strokes. Blend in the bacon fat or butter. Bake in a preheated waffle iron until brown and serve immediately.

Yields 6 waffles.

Source: Adapted from “Joy of Cooking.”

Gingerbread waffles

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon dried mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3/4 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup unsulfured molasses

2 large eggs, separated

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices and sugar to combine.

In another bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, molasses and egg yolks.

In a clean, dry bowl with a clean, dry beater, whip the egg whites until they hold firm peaks.

Blend the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients with a whisk, stirring just until the mixtures are combined. Stir in the melted butter; then gently fold in the egg whites.

Bake in a preheated waffle iron until very dark brown; serve immediately.

Note: Make them thin. Use a metal spatula to spread them gently over the grids, and bake them to a very dark brown. Don’t take them out early or they will be limp.

Yields 8 waffles.

Source: Adapted from “Waffles From Morning to Midnight” by Dorie Greenspan (William Morrow, 1993)

Yorkshire buck

1 tablespoon butter

1 pound sharp Cheddar, grated

1 cup dark ale

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 dashes Tabasco sauce

Melt the butter in the top of a double boiler. Add the cheese, and as it begins to melt, add the ale slowly, stirring constantly. Beat the egg and add along with the remaining ingredients. Continue to stir until the mixture is smooth. Keep the mixture hot.

If desired, fry slices of Canadian back bacon and poach eggs, making a “Benedict” with the waffle, eggs, bacon and Yorkshire buck sauce.

Serves 6 as a topping for waffles.

Source: Richard Perry, Richard Perry Restaurant in St. Louis, Mo., and Cafe Deluxe in Cincinnati.