Easy Mashed Potato and Main Course Recipes

Irish Mashed Potatoes

Try this traditional Irish dish, smashed colcannon, as a perfect complement to meatloaf. As a Halloween tradition in Ireland, colcannon is served with prizes inside. Clean coins are wrapped in baking paper for children to find. This Irish mashed potato recipe uses kale (a form of cabbage) and some tasty toppers you can serve and enjoy any time of year.

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place potatoes in stockpot and top off with water. Bring to boil on high heat and continue boiling for 20 minutes (more or less) until soft and easily pierced with a fork.
2. Prepare bacon in skillet and cook until crispy, remove and dry on paper towels. [Reserve bacon drippings.]
3. Once bacon dries, crumble to small pieces.
4. Place chopped onions into skillet with reserved drippings and cook until browning begins.
5. Add kale to skillet with onions. Stir until heated thoroughly and remove from heat.
6. Drain potatoes and place in large mixing bowl. Use a masher (preferred) or large fork to break the potatoes.
7. Add butter & cream and continue smashing. Don’t over work. The texture should be smashed, not whipped.
8. Add kale, onion and crumbled bacon and smash together with potatoes.
9. Serve in a large bowl. Top with additional crumbled bacon and shredded cheddar cheese.

Champ is another traditional Irish mashed potato dish, which contains scallions (green onions) instead of kale or cabbage. It is known for being a simple, filling and inexpensive dish. Champ is usually served with a little dip or recess on top, so you can make a pool of butter and dip the potatoes as you eat.

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Put potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil; simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife.
2. Drain potatoes and put in a large bowl. Add milk, scallions, and 1 teaspoon salt; mash with a potato masher.
3. Transfer potatoes to a serving bowl and make a little dip in the top of the mound for pooling the melted butter. Serve with additional butter for individual portions.

Spice-up the traditional meatloaf dinner a bit by pairing lean ground sirloin with chorizo, a spicy pork sausage. Add a personal touch to the recipe by using your favorite hot sauce with a few other ingredients to create the custom topping.

INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. For the topping: In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and hot sauce. Set aside.
3. For the meatloaf: Place the bread in a large bowl. Add the eggs. Use your hands to tear the bread into chunks, toss the bread in the egg.
4. Add the onions, ground beef and chorizo. Mix well with your hands. Add the parsley, Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper and work them through the meat mixture with your hands.
5. Shape meat mixture into a 9” x 5” loaf pan. Brush the topping onto the loaf.
6. Place the meatloaf in the oven and roast for one hour.
7. Let cool for about 15 minutes, which will help it set, before removing from the pan.
   Cut the loaf in 1/2-inch slices to serve.

Alternate Version: If you’d rather try this meatloaf without the spicy kick, simply use a different sausage such as turkey, chicken or lean pork. For balance you may want use more fatty beef, like ground chuck. For the topping, take out the hot sauce or substitute a milder sauce.