Bangers and Mash

Here is another traditional British recipe. The history of "bangers" comes from the sound sausages made when they burst in the pan if they were cooked too quickly. It's really a quick and easy meal to make and pending the type of sausage you use, you can make it spicy, mild or fruity.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 8 thick sausages (any type you like and places like Super Target and Sam's Club sells ones with apples and other fruits added)

Mash:

• 2 lb peeled potatoes and sliced in quarters
• 6 tbsp milk
• 1 stick cut in cubes
• Salt and pepper

Gravy:

• 2 medium peeled and sliced thick onions
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 ¼ pint beef stock
• 4 tsp corn starch
• 4 tsp cold water
• Salt and pepper

Preparation:

• Heat the oil, medium flame, in a large frying pan. Once the oil is hot, add the sausages and fry until a golden brown (approximately 15-20 minutes).  Place in a casserole dish or oven proof dish.
• Place the potaotes in boiling, lightly salted water, and cook until soft.  Drain.
• While the potatoes are cooking, melt the oil and butter in a large saucepan over a low heat and add the onion.  Cover with a lid and cook slowly for  10 minutes or until onions are soft.
• Add sugar and balsamic vinegar to onions, stir well and cover while it cooks for 4-5 minutes.
• Add beef stock and boil uncovered for 5 minutes.
• Mix the corn starch with the cold water to a thin paste in a glass bowl.  Slowly start adding a little of the hot gravy into the bowl and mix thoroughly.
• Pour all the starch mixture into the pan of gravy and boil for 10 minutes or until the gravy is slightly thickened.
• Add milk and butter to the potatoes and mash/whip until smooth and creamy and season with salt and pepper.

Place two of the sausages either on top of the mashed potatoes or along the side and cover with gravy.

Follow Me Fridays

Welcome to the eighth Friday Follow celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades! We invite you to join us every Friday to get more blog followers and to follow other interesting blogs. It is all about sharing and having fun.

Here's how YOU can join the celebration:

• Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below. Only need to add on one blog to be seen on all the blog hops. 
• Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots. 
• Follow as many blogs as you like 
• Comment on the blogs telling them you're from Friday Follow 
• Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow
• The Blog Hop is the same at each of our three hosts blogs so you do not have to add your blog at each site. Just one - but you can follow each blog. Follow a few or follow them all.

The list is new each week. The links do not carry over. Please link up each week for new participants to find your blogs. The list is only open to add your blog links on Fridays. It will be visible all week to visit the blogs listed.

Friday Follow Blog Hop #8

Hosted by Rita @ One 2 Try Tami @ Hearts Make Families and Lynn @ Midday Escapades . Join us every Friday as we celebrate followers! Link up your blog name and URL below to follow and be followed!




Want to be a part of this Blog Hop? http://www.mcklinky.com/get_code_publicbloghop.asp?listid=19001

Giveaways at Youthfultips

My granddaughter is pregnant with her first child and in an effort to try to win her free things, I've entered Youthfultips Bummas and Expressive Nursingwear giveaways for bonus entries.  If anyone has any giveaways for baby or mom, please let me know.

Bummas Cloth Baby Wipe Giveaways 3/16
Expressive Nursingwear $35 Gift Card Giveaway 3/17

Christmas Pudding from the UK

At Christmas time in England we always had Christmas Pudding. The Victorians started a tradition burying a silver coin in the pudding mixture. This will bring good fortune to the person finding the coin in their serving off the pudding.

Serves 6-8

• 2 oz Plain Flour
• 1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 oz shredded beef suet
• 2 oz fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 oz soft light brown sugar
• 6 oz raisins
• 6 oz sultanas
• 1 oz mixed peel chopped
• 1 apple grated
• 1 carrot peeled and grated
• 1 oz blanched almonds chopped
• Grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon
• Grated rind 1/2 orange
• 2 tsp treacle
• 2 1/2 fl oz barley wine
• 1 tbsp brandy 

                    

1. Grease a 2 pint ovenproof mixing bowl.
2. Mix all the ingredients together, cover and leave overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Spoon the mixture into the prepared bowl and don't forget to add the silver coin now.
4. Cover with wax paper and foil and secure with string.
5. Steam for 6 hours.
6. Cool and then remove the covers.
7. Turn out of the bowl and cover the pudding tightly with wax paper.
8. Store for at least one month in cool place.
9. To serve, uncover, place in bowl, recover and steam for two hours.
10. Serve with brandy butter, fresh cream or custard. 

Friday Follow #6

Toad in the Hole Recipe

Some of the things that I haven't made as often due to my family not liking my British food either due to the ingredients or the name itself. Growing up in England is much different than in America and the food is particularly different.

My family would never eat Toad in the Hole just because of the name. They couldn't stop thinking they were going to eat a toad. It's quite good and although there are no toads, it's delicious!

Toad in the Hole

Prepare a Yorkshire Pudding batter:

• ¼ cup of bacon dripping
• ½ cup milk 1 egg, well-beaten
• ½ cup sifted all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Fry sausages and lay them in the batter.
• Bake as for yorkshire pudding.
• Temp: 450º F Time: 10 - 15 min.
• If you use a glass pie plate turn the heat down 25°F.

Detailed directions:

• Combine a well-beaten egg and milk; beat till light.
• Gradually beat in sifted flour and salt; beat with dover beater till smooth.
• Let stand 30 minutes.
• Put about 2 tablespoons bacon dripping into pan or divided up between 6 large muffin tins or into an 8"x8" pan.
• Heat in oven, make sure you watch pan as it will start to smoke!
• Pour batter into hot pan; and lay in your sausages. Serves 4.
  
  The trick is the hot fat and the hot oven. Don't keep opening the oven to check. Serve immediately as it will deflate as it gets cold. Pour nice beef gravy over top.
  Serve with Mash Potatoes, Marrowfat Peas and Gravy

To find more great British recipes, go here.

Kelly's Cake Off for a Cause

Kelly Ripa and Electrolux are trying to raise money and spread the word on yet another great project that Kelly is heading up. Kelly's Cake Off for a Cause and accomplished master baker and cake decorator Buddy Valastro, from TLC's "Cake Boss." Kelly and Buddy had joined forces at a fun event to bake lavishly decorated cakes in support of The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF). To add to the excitement, five teams of baking enthusiasts were invited to take part in Kelly's Cake Off, where they used what they learned from Kelly and the Cake Boss, to decorate their own cakes.

Here is where you come in to help raise fund for ovarian cancer. By visiting Kelly-Confidential.com, you can cast a vote for your favorite cake from Kelly's Cake Off.

For every vote cast, Electrolux will donate $1 to OCRF as part of its $500,000 commitment to help fight ovarian cancer! What a perfect way to show your special valentine your love as you can even decorate and send a special virtual cake to a friend, family member or someone you love. For every cake sent, Electrolux will donate another $1 to OCRF.

You too can get involved now here!

Potty Training Help from Huggies

HUGGIES HELP

Are you one of those parents that just can't get the help you need to potty train or are you looking to start potty training? If so, you are in luck as Huggies is offering a free potty training DVD and coupons. Just click here for the DVD and here for the coupons.

Welcome

This is my first blog post as I step ahead to the world of blogosphere.

Welcome to my site!