Sausage Waffles with Peppers & Onions

Here's an instance where we had a crazy idea & just ran with it...

Two weeks ago we made Chicken & Waffles which lead us to contemplating what other ways we could incorporate waffles into dinner. Thus was born the idea of making a waffle with Italian sausage in it & then topping it with peppers & onions braised in red wine. Basically the waffle is taking the place of a hoagie roll in a sausage & peppers sandwich. The waffles were very fluffy (even with the whole wheat flour in them) & the flavor of the sausage really came through. We used a spicy Italian sausage which really paired well with the sweetness of the peppers & onions.

We had some leftover waffles & plan on reheating them tomorrow to serve with eggs. You could also use breakfast sausage in the waffle recipe for a breakfast treat too, it would be great with maple syrup.

Sausage Waffles with Peppers & Onions

8 oz bulk Italian sausage
1 1/2 T unsalted butter
1 1/2 c red onions, sliced
3 bell peppers, seeded & sliced (we used a combination of red & yellow)
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t dried basil
salt & pepper
1 c red wine
2/3 c all-purpose flour
1/3 c whole wheat flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 T olive oil
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 t red wine vinegar

In a large skillet over medium-high heat cook the sausage until completely done. Break the sausage apart while cooking. Remove from the pan & set aside to cool. Don't clean the pan as you will use it to cook the peppers & onions.

Add the butter to the pan. Once it is melted add the onion, peppers, oregano, basil & some salt & pepper. Sauté until the onions are translucent.

Pour in the wine, cover the skillet & turn the heat down to simmer. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes to soften the peppers. Remove the lid & let the sauce boil until it is reduced & thickened a little.

Making the Waffles:

Mix the flours, baking powder, baking soda & salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.

In another bowl whisk the olive oil, eggs, milk & vinegar together. Stir in the sausage. Pour into the dry mixture & stir until the batter just comes together, do not over mix. Let rest for 5 minutes.

Cook in a hot waffle iron that has been treated with cooking spray.

Makes 4 waffles with topping (4 servings)

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