Sunday, January 31, 2010

Austrian Bangers and Mash


This is traditionally an English meal. But I learned to make it from my first husband, who was 100% German in his ancestry. The differences are slight, but key. But then, my Germanic heritage is Austrian, so I'll go with that.

sausages, like banger or bratwurst, or any fat sausage you like that does need to be cooked.
mashed potatoes
corn
sauerkraut
good mustards
butter

Preheat oven to about 350 degrees.
To cook the sausages I put a big piece of tin foil into a baking dish big enough to hold the sausages into. Put in the sausages and add about a 1/2 cup of water and seal up the tin foil gently and put in oven. After about 15 or 20 minutes check on the sausages and maybe turn them. At this point you probably don't need to seal them back up again, as you want them to brown. The reason for the tin foil is to prevent the dish from becoming very hard to clean. The sausages should cook for maybe 25-30 minutes. I confess, I've never given the time any thought. You just want cooked sausages.

In the mean time, peel and boil your potatoes. I like to use one medium potato per sausage. I'm assuming most people know how to boil potatoes. When they're done and ready to mash, you want them to be a nice smooth mashed potato. Add butter and hot milk and salt and pepper as desired.

Right towards the end, maybe just before mashing the potatoes, cook up the corn.
Serve it all with the good mustards (I always put on at least two kinds), sauerkraut, and butter. Actually, put a nice dollop of butter onto the corn in it's serving dish.

It's the corn and sauerkraut, and possibly German mustard that makes this a German meal. The English would serve it with peas.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies

These are really yummy. My daughter Sarah first came up with them. I'm sure you can use other 'chips' if you want. And of course, you don't have to use cinnamon, any other spice or no spice. What you want to keep is the ratio of butter/flour/oats/eggs to remain the same.

6 oz butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour, 6 ounces
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking or regular rolled oats, uncooked
1 3/4 cups Butterscotch Chips, that's about 11 oz.
1/2 cup chopped nuts, (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cream butter, white sugar and brown sugar in large bowl until well blended.
Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in oats and butterscotch chips; mix well.
Drop by heaping teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
I use a scoop to ensure that I have even cookies and cooking.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool slightly and remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

About 4 dozen cookies.