Inexpensive Eats

I made Penny Casserole last night, and I thought I'd share the recipe. If you're a food snob, then look away, look away, look away Dixieland... oops, got a little carried off with the tune. Anyways, this is simple, filling, inexpensive, easy, how many other ways can I describe this? Here's the recipe:

1.25 lbs red (or whatever potato you have on hand) potatoes, cubed
1 package of hot dogs
2 tbsp. diced onion (I used the dried variety)
1 cup frozen peas or corn, thawed
1 can (10.75 oz) cream of mushroom soup or any creamed soup
3 tbsp. margarine, melted
1 tbsp. prepared mustard
1/8 tsp. pepper

Cook potatoes until tender, drain. If you are using a variety besides red, don't boil too long, or your cubed potatoes will disintegrate into mashed potatoes. In a greased 2.5 qt. baking dish, combine the potatoes, hot dogs, onion, and peas, like so:

Combine soup, butter, mustard, and pepper. Please, for Pete's sake, whoever he is, add the pepper! As a rule, I don't use pepper, but it really adds a lot to this recipe. Gently stir soup mixture into potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until heated through.

Serves 4-6

Confessions from my childhood: Once my mother asked me to watch some potatoes that were boiling on the stove while she ran to the store. Being very engrossed in a book at the time, I promptly forgot about them until I smelled burning; I ran to the kitchen to discover the bottom inch of potatoes were burnt, black, and stuck to the pot. I didn't want mom to know that I had forgotten, so I quickly salvaged what was left and made mashed potatoes, complete with butter and milk. Mother arrived home shortly thereafter, and as mothers only can do, perceived immediately the entire scenario without a word from me.

She then told me that she had been planning to make Penny Casserole, which was just about my favorite dish of all time. So I had punished myself. So there ya go, my one youthful indiscretion... right, mom?