Potato Apple Bacon Sausage Casserole With Irish Butter

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon of salt, for boiling potatoes and apples
• 4 large baking potatoes, peeled, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 2 large Fuji apples (or red delicious), peeled, cored, and sliced (slice them just before adding to the pot to keep them from darkening)
• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 and 1/2 pounds Kielbasa sausages, sliced, about 2 1/2 cups
• 10 slices of bacon
• Dash of salt and pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped scallions, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Prepare a large skillet that is oven proof by brushing the inside thoroughly with the butter. (If you don�t have a pan that can go into the oven, then divide half of the butter to saute in the pan, and the other half to coat a casserole pan for the oven).
2. Boil the cubed potatoes in a large pot salted with water. Boil and cook the potatoes for 8 minutes or until slightly tender. Add the apples and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove the potatoes and apples from the stove top, drain, and set aside for later.
3. Cook the bacon strips in a medium skillet over medium high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until crisp. Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil. Crumble the bacon to small bits and set aside for topping later.
4. In the large skillet that has been coated with butter, saute the onions in butter over medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes until they turn translucent. Add the sausages and cook for about 5 minutes, until the meat turns a rosy, darker hue. Add the drained cubed potatoes and apple slices to this skillet. Mix all the ingredients, making sure the butter coats everything. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Transfer the skillet to the oven, cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and top with the crumbled bacon all over. Garnish with scallions and serve hot.