Mashed potatoes have been a staple of the dinner table for a very long time and it usually is the most popular dish on the table. Those creamy mounds of potatoes were one of the stars of the show in the movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind and they are usually the stars of the show at the Thanksgiving table as well. They are supposed to be creamy and buttery and some cooks pride themselves on how smooth and velvety they are but, most home cooks may leave some lumps in them and they are still absolutely delicious.
Mashed potatoes are easy to make with butter, milk, and seasonings and they can be made differently with garlic, onions, and cheese. There are a few recipes that are less than simple with bacon, and gourmet cheese added then they are re-baked in the oven to make twice baked potatoes. They do not look much like regular mashed potatoes but are just as delicious.
Instant potatoes are available in the stores and although they may not be as good as real ones, they are convenient. They were patented by a Canadian scientist named Edward Asselbergs in'62. The dehydrating processes needed to make instant potatoes was invented by him and overshadowed earlier methods invented in'12 and'54. We have that choice of instant potatoes or we can just get tubs of mashed potatoes that only have to be reheated in the microwave.
There are some purists that think you should boil a potato and then just mash it with a fork to make mashed potatoes. They say that if you put it in a food processor or mixer the potato cells are damaged releasing their starch making them very sticky however, many kids grew up enjoying those sticky potatoes and make them that way today. The methods of making mashed potatoes differ from household to household from peeling, boiling, and mashing the potatoes with a wire potato masher to baking them in the oven removing the skin and putting them into the electric mixer. In the old days people used a ricer to make smooth potatoes. A ricer is a large sieve like looking thing with a handle connected to a blade. You turn the handle and it squished the potato through the little holes in the body of the apparatus making little worm like potato threads. These can be whipped up with other additives to make a velvety textured mashed potato.
Use russet, Idaho or Yukon Gold potatoes to get the best results when mashing them. To make a simple mashed potato boil two and half pounds of peeled chunked potatoes in 4 quarters of water. After they start to boil just reduce the heat and let them simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until they seem soft when poked with a fork. Drain the potatoes and put them in a bowl and mash them with a wire masher or put them in a mixer bowl and beat them for a few minutes. Add one fourth cup of milk, one fourth cup of butter, one half teaspoon salt and one half teaspoon pepper and mix well. This will feed 6 people
If you would like to take your mashed potatoes up a notch try Cheesy Mashed Potatoes that use cream cheese, sour cream and cheddar cheese. You will need the following:8 to 10 potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks (3 pounds or a little more), 8 ounces cream cheese, softened, One half of a 16 ounce carton of sour cream, 6 tablespoons butter, One fourth teaspoon garlic salt, One fourth teaspoon pepper, One half cup shredded Cheddar. Directions are as follows:Place potato chunks in a large pan or Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low and boil for about 20 minutes or until potatoes feel soft when poked with a fork. Drain and place potatoes in the mixer bowl. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, and butter and whip. Add garlic salt and pepper and whip until well combined. You can either whip in the cheddar cheese or sprinkle it on top and let it melt a little before serving.
Always employ and down motion when using a wire masher instead of a side to side so that the cells of the potato do not release all the starch. Never use cold butter on mashed potatoes; instead it should be softened at room temperature. You can warm your milk before adding but never let it boil. This will ensure your potatoes are warm when you serve them. Use chicken stock instead of milk to give a different flavor but make sure to taste before adding any salt. The stock has salt in it already and you may make them too salty.
Your family and friends will love having mashed potatoes with dinner just as families have for years and years. You can add bacon, chives, green onions and just about anything else you want or you can serve them plain and simple. You can serve them with just a pat of butter, a dollop of sour cream, sprinkling of cheese, or slather them with gravy. There probably won't be much left when dinner is over.
Mashed potatoes are easy to make with butter, milk, and seasonings and they can be made differently with garlic, onions, and cheese. There are a few recipes that are less than simple with bacon, and gourmet cheese added then they are re-baked in the oven to make twice baked potatoes. They do not look much like regular mashed potatoes but are just as delicious.
Instant potatoes are available in the stores and although they may not be as good as real ones, they are convenient. They were patented by a Canadian scientist named Edward Asselbergs in'62. The dehydrating processes needed to make instant potatoes was invented by him and overshadowed earlier methods invented in'12 and'54. We have that choice of instant potatoes or we can just get tubs of mashed potatoes that only have to be reheated in the microwave.
There are some purists that think you should boil a potato and then just mash it with a fork to make mashed potatoes. They say that if you put it in a food processor or mixer the potato cells are damaged releasing their starch making them very sticky however, many kids grew up enjoying those sticky potatoes and make them that way today. The methods of making mashed potatoes differ from household to household from peeling, boiling, and mashing the potatoes with a wire potato masher to baking them in the oven removing the skin and putting them into the electric mixer. In the old days people used a ricer to make smooth potatoes. A ricer is a large sieve like looking thing with a handle connected to a blade. You turn the handle and it squished the potato through the little holes in the body of the apparatus making little worm like potato threads. These can be whipped up with other additives to make a velvety textured mashed potato.
Use russet, Idaho or Yukon Gold potatoes to get the best results when mashing them. To make a simple mashed potato boil two and half pounds of peeled chunked potatoes in 4 quarters of water. After they start to boil just reduce the heat and let them simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until they seem soft when poked with a fork. Drain the potatoes and put them in a bowl and mash them with a wire masher or put them in a mixer bowl and beat them for a few minutes. Add one fourth cup of milk, one fourth cup of butter, one half teaspoon salt and one half teaspoon pepper and mix well. This will feed 6 people
If you would like to take your mashed potatoes up a notch try Cheesy Mashed Potatoes that use cream cheese, sour cream and cheddar cheese. You will need the following:8 to 10 potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks (3 pounds or a little more), 8 ounces cream cheese, softened, One half of a 16 ounce carton of sour cream, 6 tablespoons butter, One fourth teaspoon garlic salt, One fourth teaspoon pepper, One half cup shredded Cheddar. Directions are as follows:Place potato chunks in a large pan or Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low and boil for about 20 minutes or until potatoes feel soft when poked with a fork. Drain and place potatoes in the mixer bowl. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, and butter and whip. Add garlic salt and pepper and whip until well combined. You can either whip in the cheddar cheese or sprinkle it on top and let it melt a little before serving.
Always employ and down motion when using a wire masher instead of a side to side so that the cells of the potato do not release all the starch. Never use cold butter on mashed potatoes; instead it should be softened at room temperature. You can warm your milk before adding but never let it boil. This will ensure your potatoes are warm when you serve them. Use chicken stock instead of milk to give a different flavor but make sure to taste before adding any salt. The stock has salt in it already and you may make them too salty.
Your family and friends will love having mashed potatoes with dinner just as families have for years and years. You can add bacon, chives, green onions and just about anything else you want or you can serve them plain and simple. You can serve them with just a pat of butter, a dollop of sour cream, sprinkling of cheese, or slather them with gravy. There probably won't be much left when dinner is over.
About the Author:
Ben likes his potatoes mashed. So if you are looking for some delicious mashed potato recipes visit his website that is full of different recipes. He specially recommends his best mashed potatoes recipe.
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