Peel the potatoes and onions and slice both thinly. Simmer slowly in the butter, tightly covered for about 15 minutes, do not brown or over cook. Add the water, herbs (except chives), salt and pepper and continure cooking over low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Discard sprig of parsley, thyme and sage. Beat for 5 minutes with a fork. It should get fluffy. Add milk, and bring slowly to a boil.
Serve piping hot with a spinkle of chives.

Peel, boil and mash potatoes. Add melted butter and milk and fluff with fork. Add flour gradually (it's best to work with this while it is still warm) until a pliable consistency (like dough) Turn mixture out onto floured surface and knead until all stickiness is gone. You may have to knead in more flour. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thickness and cut into circles or triangles. Cook on griddle or in frying pan until brown on each side. Delicious served with butter or apple sauce.

(My mother use to make this when I was a kid, and I HATED it....funny how tastes change over the years!)

5 medium potatoes
8 chopped green onions
5 tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Cook potatoes. Drain well, and mash. Season with salt and pepper. Cook green onions in the milk for 3 minutes. Add milk/onion mixture and half the butter to mashed potatoes. Beat until fluffy. To serve, make a well in the centre of the mashed potatoes and fill with the rest of the melted butter if desired.

All ingredients should be at room temperature
7/8 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
Make a well in the centre of this and add
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
Stir to mix well
Beat 2 eggs until fluffy and add to this mixture
Continue to beat until bubble rise to the surface, the more bubbles the fluffier and crisper the Yorkshire Pudding

Preheat oven to 400F.
Put a small amount of oil in each of 6 muffin cups. Put this in the oven until the oil is smoking hot...the hotter the better.
Pour batter into each muffin cup until about 1/2 inch high. Bake for 20 minutes at 400F. Reduce the heat to 350F and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes longer.
Serve immediately.

This can be made with either left over roast beef for a fast version, or you can use ground beef. Both are good. This is the ground beef version.

1 lb lean ground beef
1 clove of garlic
1 onion finely chopped
1 bouillon cube dissolved in one cup of hot water (or one can beef bouillon)
Thickening agent.....I use Bisto, because it's an Irish thing *L* But you can use cornstarch, although I find it does mute the taste a little
1 to 1 1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots (some people use corn, but to tell the truth, I've never seen anyone in England or Ireland use corn in anything)
Mashed potatoes

Scramble fry ground beef with garlic and onions until no red remains. Add stock, peas and carrots and bring to a boil. Once peas and carrots are tender (not mushy), add the thickening. It should be about the consistency of a thin pudding. Transfer the meat mixture to a casserole dish. Cover with mashed potatoes and some grated cheese if you like. Bake in 350F oven until the potatoes are browned a little and the cheese is melted.
This is great served with crusty rolls.