Bangers and Mash meet....the American girl and Southern Stump!

It's a new year and so comes a new chapter,  new challenges and new exciting opportunities.  I am hoping to embrace things better and give my overachieving self a bit of a break in 2011.  Now, after I say that...I WILL MASTER BANGERS & MASH and other cuisines this year (enter evil laugh MUUUAAAH HA HA HA HA)!!!

Now, for all my fellow Americans...what is "BANGERS and MASH"?  It is an iconic dish consisting of sausages and mashed potatoes served in many pubs in the UK as it is fairly easy to prepare and you can make it in large quantities.   The term "Bangers", according to numerous sources,  comes from the fact that during the rationing WWII era,  sausages had the unfortunate trend of exploding with a "BANG" if cooked at too high a temperature.  ...the problem was fixed...but the name stuck ;)!

I am not sure why I was so intimidated by this dish as,  while I have quite a dark history with them,  I HAVE made mashed potatoes before and how difficult can it be to buy sausage at the store and cook it?  I think it is the whole "American Girl does British Cuisine" that threw me.

I used Ina Garten,  my dear Barefoot Contessa Ina,....used her recipe from "Barefoot in London" which I watched 2X back to back while staying with my brother and sister-in-law's house in Raleigh.  Oh how I love all of her cooking and awkward meals in London while Jeffrey tours the city in his private double decker bus.  Anyway,  her Bangers and Mash Recipe is super easy (bake the sausage instead of throwing it in a frying pan).  I skipped the mustard potatoes as my partner in crime...is not a fan.    I did an onion, chive and Cheddar mash instead ;)!  Here is a link with the recipe from Ina's show.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/barefoot-contessa/barefoot-in-london/index.html

(and don't think I haven't eyed the English Bacon Sandwich...I will be making it FOR SURE in the near future.  I didn't phase into being a meateater...I RAM JAMMED into it!)

You will see in the picture that I also added some roasted Broccoli....the easiest thing ever.  Throw some Broccoli in a roasting dish...drizzle w/Olive Oil and then add Salt and Pepper...in the oven at around 180C for 20 minutes...DIVINE!  I am finding that I'm becoming a bit of a food snob in that I really can't justify using frozen veg....it is SO EASY to prepare fresh and the nutrients don't get lost!!!  Of course steaming is the best way to make veggies from a health standpoint but either way...FRESH is best :)!

So,  there it is...my only tweek/improvement is that I will add Gravy to the meal next time!  Doing my research for the blog,  I realized I should have (with mashed potatoes Eileen...duh!)  my "Jeffrey" was so nice he didn't mention it ;)!

Next stop on my cooking train....Lamb Shepherd's Pie ;)!