Scrooge’s Hash Dinner

I can’t let the Holidays pass me by without mentioning Charles Dickens’ little nugget of joy: A Christmas Carol. I know it’s been said and done a million times, but it truly did help shape how we celebrate Christmas today. My very favorite animated version of the classic tale is this production right here. However, it seems to me that the rest world either hates it or doesn’t know it exists. But with its catchy tunes and stellar cast, it’s easy to see how I became captivated by it. I can’t even remember how the tape ended up in my house. Maybe Santa? It’s just always been here, waiting patiently for Christmas to roll around, so we can watch it over and over again.

Sure, you’d think I’d want to cook up something grand like the prize turkey, but I’ve decided to emulate pre-ghostly visitors Scrooge and make hash instead. He orders it all the time at his local tavern because it’s the cheapest thing on the menu. He doesn’t even notice when the waitress switches his order and gives him scraps while his dog, Debit, gets his meal. Yeah, hash is basically the king of leftovers and not too far from scraps, but it’s the tasty version and you can add whatever you want to it.

Recipe makes 5-6 servings.

 Ingredients

 Hash:

4 large potatoes, peeled and chopped

¼ cup milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream

Salt

Pepper

Granulated garlic

4 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 ½ cups cooked and chopped corned beef, fresh or canned

1 16 ounce can of baked beans

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

½ cup shredded cheese, optional

 

Carrots:

 1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into medallions

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons honey

½ tablespoon lemon juice

½ tablespoon water

Salt

Pepper

 

Broccoli

1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets and chunks

2 tablespoons butter

Salt

Pepper

 

Directions

Hash:

Place potatoes in a large saucepan or pot. Add salt and water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes. While the potatoes are boiling, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and heat half-and-half in a small saucepan over medium heat until it simmers. Drain off the potatoes when cooked. Mash and add heated half-and-half. Stir together and season with salt, pepper, and garlic. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add the corned beef, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add baked beans to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes until warmed through and it loses some of its liquid.

Spread baked beans along the bottom of a baking dish. Layer the corned beef mixture over the beans. Spread the mashed potatoes on top. Bake for 30 minutes. If adding cheese, wait until the 20 minute mark to do so. Remove from oven.

Carrots:

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan or pot over medium-high heat. Add salt and carrots and cook until carrots are tender, 5-8 minutes. Drain off the carrots and add them back to the pan. Add butter, honey, lemon juice, and water. Cook over medium heat until a glaze forms and coats the carrots. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Broccoli:

Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan or pot over medium-high heat. Add salt and broccoli and cook until broccoli is tender, 3-4 minutes. Drain off the broccoli and add it back to the pan. Melt butter and coat broccoli. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

Putting It All Together:

Scoop out portions of hash, carrots, and broccoli onto a plate. Now dinner is ready!

He tells the waitress that his “hash” isn’t fit for a dog, but I find the real thing pretty good. Maybe that’s the real reason why he orders it when he can afford a feast every night. You can’t really tell because he doesn’t seem to care about anything but his profits. But after his fateful Christmas Eve, he’s become older and wiser. He now knows that he’ll never find happiness in his stacks of money. True happiness comes from helping others and living and loving. Not just on Christmas, but every day of the year.

I wish you and yours the Happiest of Holidays!

I’ll be taking a break for the next couple of weeks.

Tune in next year for more Cartoon Cravings!