Irish Sausage Rolls -Repost from 2016

 These are so easy you can almost make them in your sleep. Here are the ingredients, the amounts depend on how big of crowd you expect. Use the amounts accordingly, IE 1 lb sausage - 1 egg. 2 lb sausage - 2 eggs, etc.

Irish Sausage Rolls

1 - 2 lbs. Sausage - Your choice of mild, medium, or HOT and most of you know I go with the HOT.
1 - 2 eggs
1/2 cup - 1 cup Bread cubes crushed
1 - 2 Cloves garlic chopped
1/2 Tsp to 1 tsp Marjoram
1/2 Tsp to 1 tsp Thyme
1/2 Tsp to 1 tsp Rosemary
1/4 Tsp to 3/4 tsp Salt (or to taste)
1/4 Tsp to 3/4 tsp Pepper (or to taste)
2 - 4 cans of 8 crescent rolls

Mix Sausage, egg, seasonings, and crumbs in a bowl and mix together thoroughly. Make into 5 inch logs about 1 inch in diameter. Cook in a frying pan or skillet until done. Line cooking sheet with parchment paper. Cut each log into half and roll into a crescent roll. Place on backing sheet and bake at the temperature on the roll can. Cook about 17 minutes.
Serve warm
Enjoy!

Welcome to Irish Month - Sheppard Pie

It's Irish Month! My favorite time to cook. I'm reposting one of my favorites! I hope you enjoy!

Sheppard Pie - serves 2
1/2 lb ground Turkey (Ground Beef is more traditional)

2 Carrots peeled and sliced.
8 small potatoes or 5 medium
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup peas
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 to 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup flour
1/2 jalapeno chopped (Optional)
1 small Habanero chopped (Optional)

Pre-heat oven 400 Degrees. Chop 6 small or 4 medium potatoes set in water to boil. Spray olive oil to a skillet add  2 small or 1 medium potatoes chopped and veggies and cook until starting to get soft then add ground turkey. Add half of broth and continue to cook. Use a fork to mix the
flour and remaining broth, when smooth add to skillet.

While it simmers mash the potatoes using a bit of milk and real butter until smooth. Add Veggie and meat mixture to a baking dish and scoop the potatoes over the top and bake for 20 minutes.

Enjoy with a nice Rose.

The 3 M's (Mary's Mexican Meatloaf)

The 3 M's (Mary's Mexican Meatloaf)

2              Jalapenos

1 tbsp.     Olive oil

1 cup       Onion Diced

1/2 cup    Celery diced
1/2 cup    Carrots diced
2 cloves   Garlic minced
1/2 lb       Ground beef
1/2 lb       Chorizo
1 tsp        Chili powder
1/2 tsp     Ground cumin
1/2 tsp     Cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp     Salt
1/2 tsp     Ground black pepper
2              Eggs
1/2 cup    Cheddar cheese grated
1/4 cup    Mayonnaise (light optional)
3/4 cup    Trader Joe's Thick Bold, Spicy Sauce (Substitute with Marinara or Tomato paste)

1/2 cup    Breadcrumbs (3 loaf ends dried for 2 days)

1. Preheat to 375 degrees. 

2. Place the Jalapenos on a baking sheet and place into the oven. Roast the peppers for 5-7 minutes per side, or until blistered. 

3. Remove the peppers from the oven and place in a zip lock bag. Close and set aside for 5- 10 minutes.

4. Remove the peppers, peel off the skin, slice the pepper and remove the stem and seeds. Dice and set aside. 

5. Add the olive oil to a large skillet on medium high. 

6. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes.

7. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute then remove and set aside. 

8. The ends of the loafs are the best to dry. Take the dried bread. Place in a large zip lock bag. Make sure it is zipped. Place a towel over the top. With a meat tenderizer, hammer, or mallet crush the bread to crumbs. 

9. In a large bowl combine the beef, chorizo, spices, and breadcrumbs.

10. Add the eggs, mayo, 1/2 cup of the spicy sauce, cheese, roasted jalapenos and sautéed vegetables. Stir thoroughly to combine. 

11. Place the mixture in a cooking spray coated loaf pan or square pan. 

12. Place in the oven for 25 minutes. 

13. Remove the meatloaf, drain the juices, then spread the rest of the spicy sauce onto the loaf. 

14. Place back in the oven for 15 minutes. Depending on your oven. Test to make sure it's done. Add another 5 minutes if necessary.

15. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before slicing. 

Pairs well with a Riesling. Serve with potatoes or coleslaw. 

Enjoy.

Irish Month - Irish Stew and Irish Soda Bread - Repost from 2019

Happy St. Paddy's day! 

Irish Stew - Serves 4

I cook mine in the crock pot.

1 lb Stew meat - Traditional Lamb (substitute with beef)

4 tbsp Flour

1 onion chopped

3 carrots sliced

3 medium or 5 small white potatoes cut into quarters

1/2 tsp dried Thyme

1 1/2 pints beef broth (substitute half liquid with Guinness Stout-optional)

2 tbsp chopped fresh parley

Salt and Pepper

Brown meat. Add meat, veggies and liquid to crock pot. Stir in seasoning and place on high for two hours. Then turn to low for 4-5 hours. About an hour before serving remove some of the liquid and mix with flour until thick and smooth and poor into the stew. Stir thoroughly and it will thicken the last out of cooking. Serve with Guinness and Soda Bread. 

Irish Soda Bread

Makes 1 Loaf

Preheat Oven to 425 degrees. 

Take a round cake pan and oil it and then dust with flour. 

2 cups Flour (plus some for dusting)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

14 oz Buttermilk

Dried Cranberries or Raisins (Optional)

Mix, flour, salt, and soda in a glass bowl. Then make a bowl in the flour mixture pour most of the buttermilk in and mix with hands until sticky. 

Dust a little more flour and buttermilk. Then rub your hands with flour and spread flour on pastry mat and then knead the dough into a round dough and put in the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown on the top. Let cool for a couple minutes but serve warm. 

Traditional Irish Stew and Soda Bread

 Welcome to Irish traditions!

Tonight we are planning another trip to Ireland for 2021, in honor of that I am cooking some traditional foods from a cookbook I picked up when I was in Ireland in 2015. It's the Irish Pub Cookbook

Traditional Irish Stew

4 tbsp                Flour

3 LB                 Middle neck of lamb*

3 large              Onions chopped

3                       Carrots, sliced

1 lb                   Potatoes, quartered

1 1/2 pints        Hot beef stock

salt and pepper

2 tbsp                Chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the flour in a bag and season well with salt and

pepper. Add the lamb to the bag. Tie and shake well until coated. Do this is Batches, if necessary. Arrange the lamb in the base of a casserole. 

Layer the onions, carrots, and potatoes on top of the lamb.

Sprinkle in the thyme and pour int he stock, then cover and cook in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours. Garnish with the parsley and serve straight from the casserole. 

*I used lamb shoulder and while I was prepping I put the bones in the broth to boil to get the flavor from the marrow. 

Irish Soda Bread 

vegetable oil, for oiling

1 lb                Flour - plus extra for dusting                

1 tsp              Salt

1 tsp              Baking Soda

14 fl oz         buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Oil baking tray.

Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in most of the buttermilk. Mix well together using your hands. The dough should be very soft but not too wet. If necessary, add the remaining buttermilk. 

Turn the cough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it lightly. Shape into 8-inch round.

Place the loaf on the prepared baking tray and cut a cross into the top with a sharp knife. According to Irish Folklore, this is to either ward off evil or to let the fairies out. 

Bake in preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rach and leave to cool slightly. Serve warm. 

Enjoy, 

You can also find my own recipes at The After Work Cookbook. 

More details here....