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Not-So-Humble Mashed Potatoes
| Meet the Blogger | More Posts by Elizabeth Smith
“As long as there are mashed potatoes, I’ll be happy,” said a guest joining us for our Thanksgiving meal. He didn’t seem to care if the turkey was dry (it wasn’t) or the cranberry sauce was fresh (it was). He simply wanted creamy smooth mashed potatoes. And they were.
UPDATE: Thanks to everyone that entered. Congrats to Julie P., our randomly chosen winner!
As arguably the most important side dish of the season, everyone seems to have a preferred method to cook mashed potatoes. (Me? I cook the potatoes cold and don’t peel them until after they’re cooked.) There are tons of recipes out there, but many are tame and traditional. Potatoes. Butter. Milk. Salt. Pepper. When done right, those five staples are heavenly. But is something missing?
Some home cooks work to ensure potato perfection by adding secret ingredients. Sour cream? Roasted garlic? Blue cheese? Why not! Here are a few of our favorite recipes that move beyond the classic mashed potato recipe in the quest for a celestial side dish.
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes. Gruyère. Parmesan. Sour cream. Oh my!- Mashed Potatoes with White Truffle Oil. If after seeing the words “truffle oil”, you’re still reading this and not headed to the store to make this recipe, I applaud you. Your will power is stronger than mine.
- Tahini-Garlic Mashed Potatoes. This dish is dairy free and full of flavor.
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips. Parsnips add flavor and texture to otherwise traditional mashed potatoes in this version.
- Miso and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Aged barley miso and roasted garlic turn this traditional side into vegan comfort food of the highest order.
Do you smash the everyday mash recipe? Share your secret ingredients in your not-so-humble mashed potatoes in the comments below by December 31, and you could win a $50 Whole Foods Market® gift card.
The fine print: No purchase necessary. Promotion ends December 31, 2012, 11:59 PM CDT. Must be a legal resident of the US or Canada (except in Quebec, where it is void) age 18 or older to participate. Taxes on prize, if applicable, are the responsibility of the winner. Employees of Whole Foods Market, Inc., are not eligible. Void where prohibited.
263 Comments
Comments
Red potatoes, real butter, heavy whipping cream, sour cream and cream cheese. They're so rich I only serve them for special occasions - like Christmas!
12/12/2012 8:13:24 PM CST
They are so wonderful when you use a potato ricer and Yukon Gold potatoes!
12/12/2012 8:13:30 PM CST
A little granulated garlic when cooking and sprinkling with a bit of smoked paprika before serving - delish!
12/12/2012 8:16:16 PM CST
The key ingredients for my grandmother-in-law's mashed potatoes are butter, sour cream (or I'll sub Greek yogurt), and cream cheese. Totally decadent, but that's why we only make them once a year!
12/12/2012 8:16:33 PM CST
My secret is using a mix of russet and gold potatoes.
12/12/2012 8:17:19 PM CST
Mashed Potatoed Potatoes.
I scrub 6 medium Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, and leaving skins on, cover them with filtered water and 1 teaspoon sea salt, boiling them for 20-30 minutes with the lid on the pot...just until soft when pierced with fork.
When the potatoes are soft I remove them to a seive, SAVING THE WATER. Heat a potato ricer with hot water, then press each potato through it into the original pot. Add 1/4 cup potato water, beating vigorously over very low heat with a wooden spoon, then beat in 1/2 cup hot milk and 2 TBSP butter until very light and fluffy. Add sea salt to taste. Pile potatoes into a hot serving dish and top with an additional pat of butter.
Freeze remaining potato water for use in soup broths.
12/12/2012 8:25:24 PM CST
Butter, Milk, salt, petpper and a dash of SOUR CREAM make the best mashed potatoes ever! I use a hand mixer for a light and fluffy product. This classic recipe comes very creamy and uses wholesome ingredients.
12/12/2012 8:26:09 PM CST
2% organic milk and organic butter blended until smooth. The best it gets
12/12/2012 8:36:37 PM CST
Before going gluten & dairy-free, my "secret" ingredient for making fluffy, full mashed potatoes was heavy cream :-). now I'm playing around with different gluten & dairy-free ingredients to get the same effect as the heavy cream.
12/12/2012 8:36:44 PM CST
I broil my potatoes then peel, Mash, add sour cream,salt,pepper and chives! Ummmmmmm good!
12/12/2012 8:39:24 PM CST
Instead of regular milk, I use sweetened condensed milk...makes it very creamy!
12/12/2012 8:39:38 PM CST
Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes: peel and cut 4 large sweet potatoes in chunks and boil until soft or bake whole sweet potatoes until soft. Mix with half stick real butter, 1/2 cup milk or plain Greek yogurt. 1 tablespoon crushed rosemary, 1 clove garlic crushed. Mash potatoes a bit and then Combine all ingredients and mash together until mixture is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Goes great with roast pork and spinach salad.
12/12/2012 8:50:33 PM CST
When I make mashed potatoes, I leave the skin on, wash them, chunk them up with garlic and onions, and then wash them again. Then I cook them in broth (veggie or chicken) until they are ready. When they pass the fork test, I do not drain them. I use my stick blender to cream them up, and I add plain yogurt for extra creamy richness. I add a little extra spice (white pepper, oregano, basil) and salt, if needed, and it's ready to go! For special occasions, I fold in shredded cheese just before serving. Yum!
12/12/2012 8:53:20 PM CST
Substitute Cauliflower for Potatoes.
12/12/2012 8:55:49 PM CST
My secret ingredients are: RUSSET potatoes (unpeeled!) & buttermilk. After years of using red or yukon gold, I find these to be the best!
12/12/2012 8:56:25 PM CST
Just boiled organic Idaho potatoes, organic butter, organic 2% milk and 20 minutes in our KitchenAid stand mixer makes everybody's favorite for supper, then I add a little cheddar cheese, garlic and mushrooms to the leftovers for a scruptious lunch the next day.
12/12/2012 9:02:13 PM CST
We love garlic mashed potatoes: use a whole bulb of garlic, organic potatoes and organic vegan butter spread.
12/12/2012 9:03:30 PM CST
Secrets are: Yukon gold potatoes (no red, russet or all-purpose potatoes), melted butter, half and half (not milk = watery & not heavy cream = overly rich), table salt (no sea salt = heavy mineral taste) AND always add butter before dairy. Add in 1 cup shredded smoked gouda with dairy.
12/12/2012 9:06:02 PM CST
Yukon gold potatoes , milk , butter , salt and pepper make the perfect mashed potatoes
12/12/2012 9:10:33 PM CST
I put sour cream and butter in my mashed potatoes
12/12/2012 9:11:39 PM CST
My secret ingredients are white pepper, cream cheese, milk, garlic, and asiago cheese. My fiance loves when I make them with these. Sometimes I put in sour cream instead of the cream cheese and it works out just as well, or I substitute cream or half and half for the milk which works well too. They make divinely creamy mashed potatoes or smashed potatos no matter what type of potatoes you are using. If you are looking for a sweeter healthier choice, my mashed sweet potatoes are cream cheese, milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and if your feeling festive, marshmallows on top or pecans. Hope you enjoy them as I do.
12/12/2012 9:18:51 PM CST
I love mashed potatoes. And I love making them - many ways. For basic mashed spuds, I use fat free sour cream instead of butter and milk. Makes them creamy, gives them a little tang and much lower fat. For added zing, I add some dijon mustard (amount depends on how much I make). For a real treat, one of my favorites is cut up some sharp cheddar cheese into 1/4" cubes. Around one ounce of cheese per serving of potatoes. Fry an onion. Add these two ingredients to the basic mashed potatoes and put in the oven until the top is browned. Yummm!
12/12/2012 9:32:01 PM CST
Boil the potatoes until they are falling apart. Add salt, butter, milk and some cheddar cheese. mix with spoon, leaving the potatoes somewhat chunky.
12/12/2012 9:33:06 PM CST
My mashed potatoes are actually potatoes (either russet or yukon gold) and rutabegas mashed together with butter and salt and pepper. They are so good that everyone wants these every year instead of plain mashed potatoes.
12/12/2012 9:38:43 PM CST
Mix in some cauliflower for added volume
12/12/2012 9:56:39 PM CST