Mashed Potatoes.. a perfect side!

So I used to be the wife that just threw some water butter and salt in a pot and stirred in some flaky potato stuff and there was mashed potatoes... My husband very nicely told me that he didn't like them, after about two years of me making them!!!! So I was on the hunt for a good mashed potato recipe.. not really necessarily a recipe but more a concoction that we both agreed on. See I was used to "whipped" potatoes and he was used to chunky potatoes.... he was used to go old full of butter etc.. I was used to some milk salt and pepper made by my wonderful father..

So after a billion times of trying I have figured out my tips...Ps there is a serious warning along with this recipe. I am NOT a good measurererererer (yea got carried away with the "er"'s)... I usually add to taste.. if you want it creamer add more cream cheese or milk, if you want it less add more sour cream if you want more salt pepper etc.. add more... So these are just my jest on this batch.. take mine and build yours please :)

Ingredients ::::

5 lb bag of russet potatoes, or yukon.. any others tend to get too watery or just not quite right
4 oz cream cheese (I usually use the less fat kind but this is all I had) softened
1 ish stick of butter... softened
salt
pepper
garlic powder
light sour cream (about 1/2 cup or so)
milk if needed


So go ahead and prepare your potatoes... wash wash and wash some more.. I feel though that you are going to peel them anyway so I tend to rinse and scrub a bit then after I peel rinse again...

Go ahead and put cold water in your pot... Now here is a tip and I will explain it. ALWAYS start your potatoes in cold water.. this allows them to cook through evenly, if you put potatoes in hot water the outside of the piece of potato will cook first and start to fall apart. I use this technique with baking potatoes too.. start baking in a cold oven!

Ok so here is the thing.. as a one man show here (aka cook, photographer, writer, maid, mom ahh the list goes on) shooting myself peeling potatoes etc is super hard! SO you can use your imagination! So peel away... I would love an assistant in the kitchen. Peeling potatoes is probably my least favorite job ever.. right next to peeling carrots! Jaxon wanted to help but a 22 month old with a peeler?? Um NO

Now another quick tip.. see this black nasty looking spot.. yea you don't want those.. so keep on peeling till they are gone.. if not, cut that area away completely!

See this little brown spots.. yea that is some unpeeled "skin".. I kinda like that.. adds some nutrients (aka dirt... dirt ever hurt anyone.. I grew up eating dirt and probably cat hair and dog hair right mom? I turned out just fine) but you do rinse and rinse again so leave some skin!

So cut all your potatoes in similar size pieces, the smaller the faster they cook, the bigger the longer just make sure they are all relatively similar in size so they cook the same amount.. Also I peel and dice as I go. usually two potatoes at a time, if you leave them out of the water too long they discolor and oxidize so keep them suckers in water after peeling!

Put on the stove on medium high at a boil for about thirty minutes for good chunky potato sizes! Keep an eye out on them thought checking with your fork!

(see that fry pan.. yeah heaven.. FRIED OKRA! ahhh kept my in the kitchen to watch the potatoes)

Ok so the fork test.... The way this work is scoop out a piece of potato.... put a fork in it.. if there is any resistance let them cook a little longer.. if it slides right in then you are good.. now if it goes through and the whole thing falls apart. well you have done it now! still make the potatoes but you might need to add some real cheese as a bonding agent!

Drain your potatoes and let them sit for a second to drain the water away..

Now this is an interesting part. As I was researching and experimenting...I found that if you put the potatoes back on the hot eye as you are mixing in the ingredients the "water" left in the potatoes will steam up and evaporate so you don't get stuck with watery potatoes.. guess what it works! So place them suckers in the pot and that pot on there and add your butter and cream cheese and mash with your masher.. if you don't have a masher.. um you can use a sturdy wisk but really you need a masher!

mash a little then add your sour cream, salt, pepper and garlic powder... Now I am usually a stickler for fresh ingredients but nothing would gross me out more then biting down on a hunk of garlic in my potatoes.. so the powder is perfect in there!

Mix all of this together .. Make sure you taste it.. add whatever else you want to taste. Butter always is better but add sparingly and taste as you add. I always make a ton for a reason.. tasting is SO important when it comes to mashed potatoes.. and always remember.. you can always add but never take away so careful with your ingredients!

Now you can at this point add some pieces of butter on top.. place it in a 350 degree oven for a few minutes and let it all merry together but.. I had an awaiting family and friends :)

Serve some with yummy steak, okra, green beans and a side of the cutest little picky eater ever.. All this yumminess and he would much rather eat crackers and fruit!

Enjoy! 

Oh and an extra tid bit for those who plan their meals like me. 5 lbs of potatoes makes enough mashed potatoes for an ARMY.... SO go ahead and make an entire batch and then go ahead and look into making some shepherds pie with the left over mashed potatoes and green beans :)