February is National Potato Lovers Month. Terry John Zilla stopped by to show us how to make, Apple Sausage and Potato Waffles.

Apple Sausage and Potato Waffles

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
2 tablespoons butter, melted
6 ounces cooked pork breakfast sausage, crumbled
½ cup peeled, chopped, cooked potatoes
½ cup peeled, grated apple
Maple syrup

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºF. Preheat a waffle iron. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In another small bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs yolks, and butter.

2. Pour mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring with a few quick strokes to form a lumpy batter. Stir in the sausage, potatoes, and apples. In another medium bowl, using an electric mixer set at high, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Using a spatula, gently and thoroughly fold the egg whites into the batter.

3. Lightly grease or spray the grids of the waffle iron. Spoon about ⅓ cup of batter (amount varies with size of iron) onto the hot iron and spread it almost to the corners of the grids. Close the lid and bake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the waffles are golden brown, their edges look dry, and they do not stick to the grids.

4. Transfer the baked waffles to the oven, placing them directly on the rack so they will stay crisp.
5. Repeat with the remaining batter. Transfer the waffles to serving plates and serve with syrup.

Belgian Waffle
Makes about 10 waffles

Note: If you’d like a softer waffle, you can use 3 cups all-purpose flour and omit the rice flour.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups warm water (105°-110°F)
2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
½ teaspoon sugar
2 ½ cups sifted all purpose flour
½ white rice flour
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, separated
1 egg white
1/3 sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cool
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups whole milk

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in ½ cup of the warm water with the ½ teaspoon sugar. Allow to stand for 10 to 15 minutes, until the mixture begins to foam.
2. Whisk together the flour and the salt in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Add the egg yolks and one of the egg whites, the 1/3 cup sugar to the yeast mixture and stir to blend.
4. Add the remaining water, melted butter, oil, vanilla extract and milk and whisk until mixture is smooth.
5. Stir the liquid into the flour mixture and whisk until mixture is smooth.
6. Beat the 3 remaining egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter. Allow the batter to stand at room temperature, stirring every 15 minutes for 1 hour.
7. Bake waffle in preheated Belgian waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions.