Sausage Surprise

Wow, the first recipe of 2011. Crazy that we are here already! So we start the year off with a bang...did you know that in England sausage and potatoes are called "bangers and mash?" So really when I said "start the year off with a bang," I was using a pun. But you almost couldn't tell because you don't know what the recipe is yet. So...

When a recipe has "surprise" in it, you never know. But I read this one all through and seems not-too-surprising. This is from the other cookbook that Becky gave me for my birthday (see the post "Chicken Corn Soup" to see how I got these), copyright 1982, called The Cook's Color Treasury, edited by Norma MacMillan. This book was even more fun to read through than the other one, and there are only a few things I am venturing to try out of this one. This recipe seemed pretty benign, even if it's something I've never heard of or thought of doing before. Also not many ingredients, which is usually a good thing.

Sausage Surprise
2 lb potatoes
Salt & pepper
1 lb pork link sausages
1 1/4 cup milk (this seemed like it was going to be too much milk but it really wasn't)
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups grated cheese (it doesn't say what kind; I used cheddar)
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Preheat the broiler. Peel the potatoes and cut into quarters. Cook in boiling salted water for about 10 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, broil the sausages for about 15 minutes (mine only took 10, and make sure you spray your broiler pan first!), turning occasionally until well browned. Drain the potatoes. Add the milk to the pan and bring just to a boil. Return the potatoes to the pan with the butter and mash til smooth. Beat 1 cup of the cheese into the potatoes with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Spread the mixture into a flameproof dish and push the sausages diagonally into the potato so that the tops are just showing. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and broil for about 5 minutes till golden.

I called Steve at work, and in the course of conversation, told him that supper tonight was "Sausage Surprise." He quickly replied, "isn't sausage always a surprise?" Ha. He is so funny. But really once the cheese was sprinkled on top you couldn't see the sausage, so I can see where the name comes from. Sam didn't like the sausage, but he still ate it. If the other 2 didn't like it, they didn't complain. Steve really liked it. So I'll keep it. On to the next one...