Two sausages are frying in a frying pan.

One says to the other, “Damn, it’s hot in here.”

The other says, “Oh my God! A talking sausage!”

Yes, friends….Monday comes along like a bad joke.

You can make your Monday into something pretty fantastic if you make this Sausage and Mash for dinner.

In about 30 minutes you can have the ultimate autumn meal. Sausages in a lovely cider-bacon sauce over creamy mashed potatoes is comfort food at its best.

Braised Sausages With Smoky Bacon And Cider

Ingredients:

8 pork sausages
6 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
1 onion, halved and sliced
1 Tbs flour
450ml cider
1 tsp Dijon mustard
a handful of parsley, chopped
Mashed potatoes, to serve (Recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Heat 1 Tbs oil in a large frying pan. Add the sausages and cook until browned all over. Remove from pan.

2. Add bacon and onion to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle over the flour and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the cider. Simmer for 2 minutes, then stir in the mustard.

3. Add the sausages back to the pan. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until sauce has thickened. Add the parsley and serve with mash.

Serves 4

Recipe from Olive Magazine

Fluffy Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 pounds (900g) russet potatoes or Kerr’s Pink
300ml (1/2 pint) milk or cream
1 egg
50g (2oz) butter, softened
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Peel potatoes and cut into rough chunks.

2. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large stockpot over high heat. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander. Mash.

3. While potatoes are boiling, bring milk to a boil. Add to the mashed potatoes. Add egg, then beat in butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

Recipe from Darina Allen’s Ballymaloe Cookery Course Cookbook

This is a fun song from People, Places, Maps. ‘Tis brilliant, I think.

Turn this up loud, dance around and get your week off to a great start.

Check out People, Places, Maps on Facebook and Bandcamp. You can buy the band’s music here and here.

Upcoming shows for you lucky people who live in Scotland:

20th October – Oxjam Edinburgh at The Three Sisters Bar
26th October – Nice n Sleazys, Glasgow
3rd November – 20 Rocks, Falkirk
23rd November – PJ Molloys, Dunfermline (with THE PIGEON DETECTIVES)
24th November – The Newmarket Bar , Thurso
15th December – PJ Molloys, Dunfemline (Headline Show)

Cheers!