Bangers 'n Mashed

It's been a while since I've posted a recipe, and since we are still in progress with our projects (in fact, I've had it up to here...visualize my hand going up over my head in a vertical slice...today with these projects, so I believe it's best if I wait to share more when I'm not feeling so ornery about them), I thought a recipe would be fun.

We are having Bangers n' Mashed...good comfort food (which fits the bill today due to previously mentioned project frustrations). 

This is so easy and my approach doesn't include any measurements and there's only a few ingredients, so it's easy to remember, and it tastes great (maybe not so figure friendly, but what comfort food is?  At least mine doesn't have gravy!).

Bangers 'n Mashed

Ingredients:

1 package large link sausages (I'm using mild Italian, you can use your favorite) with 2 or 3 very small slices, about 1/8 inch deep, in each (probably not a necessary step, but I believe this keeps them from exploding as the moisture inside heats up and expands the casing)
1 sweet onion cut in half and sliced thin
Olive oil

Klondike potatoes (we like leftovers, so I always cook a bunch)
Heavy cream and/or milk (I mix the cream with 2% milk, you can use any milk product here)
Butter
Salt & pepper

Directions:
Clean and cut your potatoes (I keep the skin on) and put them into a pot of water, boiling them until they are fork tender.  This will take about 30 minutes or so, depending on how small your cubes are. 

While the potatoes are cooking, put a little olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat and put the sausages in to cook.  I like the slow cook method, browning slowly (ha ha, do as I say and not as I do, the pan was a little too hot and the first side browned very quickly), turning the sausages frequently.  Be sure to use a large enough pan that you can move the sausages aside to cook the onion. 

Once they have slightly browned all the way around, push them to the edges of the pan and put the onions in the middle.  You want to use the sausage fat and little bits that are in the pan to cook the onions until they are brown (add a little butter or oil if you need a little more for the onions).  Keep an eye on your sausages during this process, turning everything periodically.

By now the potatoes should be fork tender; drain them, add the butter, cream/milk, salt & pepper, and mash (you can use a potato masher if you like them a little lumpy, but  I use a hand mixer because of the skins and we like them less lumpy).  FYI, I used 6 large potatoes, about 4 cups, 4 tbsp butter and 3/4 cup cream/2% milk mixture to get this consistency.

Make some veggies on the side, and voila, Bangers 'n Mashed!  True confession; I used frozen turnip greens with parsnips, a choice I wouldn't make again, fresh tastes so much better, but this is what I had:)

An easy meal after a day of frustrating moments...and so very yummy for the tummy! 

Thanks for reading my blog, you are the best f/f/r/s/f's, see you tomorrow,
Lise