Aldrich Guest House in Galena, Illinois

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Potato Waffles

Yield - 4
4 medium sized potatoes, peeled, shredded, and drained (approx ½ pound per person)**
2 eggs
½ t salt
¼ t fresh ground pepper
1 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
6 slices diced ham
¼ c minced chives
Cooking spray
Poached eggs (optional)
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Heat waffle iron to medium high while preparing mixture
Whisk together eggs, salt, and pepper then mix in cheese, ham, and chives
Stir egg mixture into shredded potatoes
Generously spray waffle iron with cooking spray
Scoop approximately 1 c (if using a scale, approx 185g) of potato mixture onto waffle iron
Cook 5-10 minutes until golden brown
Waffles can be stored in a warm (225 degrees) oven on a rack while the rest are made
Top with a poached egg, additional chives, red pepper flakes, etc.

**To drain potatoes after shredding, place them on a kitchen towel and squeeze them into a ball until all the liquid is out of them. Do this in two batches to make sure that they are as drained as possible as wet potatoes will not brown or crisp.
This recipe won first runner-up in a national breakfast competition that had over 300 entries!
One of the great things about this recipe is that it takes simple ingredients and combines them in a very different way. It's also easy to substitute for dietary restrictions - make it veggie by using spinach, feta, and sun-dried tomatoes or omit the cheese for lactose sensitivities.