bang-on with the bangers and mash, and weekend goals

so, this weekend will be another cookfest, although i think i will take it easy on sunday. for a change.

tonight, it's the ricotta pasta. not sure about dessert yet, but while the pasta is chilling, i'll make a batch of candied cherries (for the bread), i'll prep the confit for tomorrow's risotto, and maybe i'll start a batch of the proscuitto bread for tomorrow's lunch.

tomorrow, i'll probably stay light on the breakfast so i can do a soup and sandwich lunch, and then for dinner the confit. in between, i'll do the chocolate bread (leaving a few slices to dry out for bread pudding), and maybe a cookie. i've a fancy to try one of the weirder cookies i've been collecting instead of a basic drop cookie (since i have muffins, brownies, and a log of chocolate chip in the freezer). dessert saturday, maybe i'll try the bread pudding cupcakes, since i can make a small batch of them and decide how i actually feel about bread pudding.

sunday, i'll finish off the ricotta with some ricotta pancakes, either cherry or orange or raspberry. i'll go easy on the lunch and do one of the veggie stews for dinner. maybe the sweet potato stew? not sure yet. maybe more cupcakes. :-) if i end up defrosting any of the frozen cherries for pancakes, i'll do the cherry-vanilla cupcakes, because one of my winter goals was to use those damn cherries.

in other news, dinner last night was awesome. the mashed (whipped, really) potatoes were bang-on and i loved the combo of the bangers and the mash. didn't end up eating a whole lot of it, because it was seriously rich and filling, but i did plate it with a side of green beans that i had fried in the rendered sausage grease. yum. with lots of leftovers. make a quick batch of brownies--love the KA recipe because there is no chocolate melting involved and it's easy to halve. just like the nigel slater entry that inspired the meal in the first place.



i had never used the mixer to make mashed potatoes, although i know a lot of people covet the mixers because it makes that sort of dish so easy. little did i know how delightful it would be! i just boiled some baby yukon golds, threw them in the mixer, turned it on, and as they whipped i threw in some spices and some cream until i saw a consistency and taste that suited my mood. nothing could be simpler.

p.s. am just reminded of the far breton cake. hmmm.