Bangers and Mash

This time of year everyone is so busy scurrying around with holiday planning, shopping and social gatherings it is very, very easy to be tempted to pick-up take-out or order in. Both of those temptations will cut into your holiday budget. One easy way to prevent this is to have quick, easy meals sitting in your freezer. Simply thaw the individual components or entrée or casserole, heat and add salad or rolls for quick, easy and an inexpensive meal.

Bangers & Mash

Bangers and mash is an English sausage and potato dish served in pub. It's easy and inexpensive to make yet is the perfect example of comfort food. It is traditionally served with a brown onion gravy and often includes a side of mushy peas. Bangers and mash is a very filling meal! Our banger and mash dinner consisted of honey garlic sausages that had been grilled then froze, mashed potatoes and browned beef gravy.

Note: I put this meal under the label of 30 minutes but you really could have it put together in about half that time.

Method:

sausages - I grilled up about 30 large honey garlic pork sausages back in September. Some were enjoyed with sauerkraut and onions on toasted buns and the rest were divided into meal size portions then vacuum sealed and froze. To re-heat I opened the package and placed in a glass baking dish with about ¼ c of water then covered and microwaved on high for about 3 minutes. Microwave ovens vary in power so adjust your timing to get the sausages on the hot side of warm based on your microwave.

potatoes - I cut about 6 medium, unpeeled, washed potatoes into chunks then steamed them until tender. I then put the potatoes into the KitchenAid® stand mixer bowl with about 1 tbsp of butter, 3 oz cream cheese, ¼ c sour cream and just enough milk to smooth the potatoes. Using the mixing paddle I mixed just until smoothing but with smaller chunks due to the peels.

gravy - I used a beef gravy that I had froze earlier but wanted it a bit smoother and glossier not that the way it was would not have been fine. To make the gravy for the bangers and mash I strained the gravy through a fine strainer into a saucepan. Then I added about a ½ tsp of Grace Browning* caramel and brought the gravy to a low boil. I wanted the gravy just a bit thicker so stirred in about 2 tbsp of corn starch** slurry.

* Grace Browning adds a deep brown colour as well as flavour. It is best to add a little at a time to get the effect you want.

** Corn starch as a thickener adds a gloss to gravies.