Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Now in my house potatoes are a constant.  Same with bacon, protein powder and Mr. Fantabulous. These are ‘tings I cannot live without.  It’s kinda like air… it’s a necessity.

Since I’m home recovering from surgery Mr. Fantabulous has stepped up and started taking on all the work here including the cooking and baking. He kinda has no choice.  Well okay he does as he could easily live on tuna, eggs, protein powder and the 30+ quarts of Italian Gravy I made him. However he would have one very, VERY cranky wife as I can’t just live on that.  Being a cook I  need a variety, I need to be in the kitchen.  Now while I’m following my surgeon’s orders to the letter (no life, no cooking, no lifting, no life, no gym, no driving, no working out, NO LIFE) it has not been easy for me.

See I am not one to sit and let people take care of me. That’s not my role. Now don’t get all huffy with the phrase I used.  It’s just I’m a very giving, selfless person.  I feel better helping out, doing stuff, taking care of instead of being the one that is pampered.  Sure it’s nice but I’m so independent that it’s a hard pill to swallow to be told “No Lori, you cannot do that”.  However I took this time ‘off’ as a positive thing and have it allow me turn just sitting in the kitchen into a productive thing.  As we all know Mr. Fantabulous isn’t really “allowed” to touch stuff in the kitchen.  I mean he can make cereal, eggs and drinks but actual real food.. that’s my territory. Plus we won’t get into him touching my All-Clad pots and pans.  That would be like my going into his garage and using his power tools to dig a hole in the garden.  Yeah… we respect each others ‘stuff’.

Since the surgery I hadn’t really had an appetite.  That’s pretty normal they say however for me that’s a great thing since my life sucks right now since I’m not allowed to work out. I’m still trying to calculate how many calories air has AND how many calories I can burn just breathing.  LOL Since I’m on these horse tranquilizers they sent me home with for pain, I can’t take them on an empty stomach so I needed something of substance to help absorb the yuckiness of them.  Immediately I went to mashed potatoes.  Now I’ll fess up, my FAVORITE way to eat them is chunky and skin on but since my stomach wasn’t ‘quite right’ yet I figured I should go simple – creamy and mashed, no skin but with lots of love (as in the form of butter.. shhhh!  Don’t tell my thighs that!).

So I was given the potatoes, peeled ’em and let Mr. Fantabulous do the rest.  About 30 minutes later I had him drain them and showed him how to use a masher by hand.  I tasted for seasoning (about 42 times…lol) and there before me was a bowl of perfectly mashed potatoes.  Just a few sparse chunks, lots of creamy butter, salt and pepper.  These were literally perfect.

Of course Mr. Fantabulous was standing there beaming with pride and these were the most absolute bestest potatoes ever made by mankind (cause he helped). LOL

Yes they really were that good.

Now I know you guys are used to more elaborate type stuff but every once in a while it’s nice to step back and just tackle the basics.  See our TKW Family is growing day by day and I’ve had a bunch of kitchen ‘newbies’ contact me asking how to just make the basics.  I encourage stuff like this as it keeps me grounded and reminds me that not everyone has many years experience in the kitchen. Plus I love the simple stuff.

You see with just one simple dish like mashed potatoes you can make so many other recipes out of it!  Croquettes, Sheppard’s Pie, Pseudo Latke, Pierogie Lasagna and so forth. And it’s AMAZING with meatloaf!

Now please if you say you’re mashed potatoes come from a box then we really need to discuss our relationship.  I just can’t…. I can’t.  I just couldn’t look at you the same… I would know your dirty little secret and I’d be embarrassed.  Now go out buy some taters and get to mashin’!

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

• Author: The Kitchen Whisperer
• Yield: 4-5

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Ingredients

• 5 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
• 6–7 tablespoon butter, unsalted
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup cream (plus additional if needed)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 4 ounces cream cheese

Instructions

1. Place the potatoes in a deep pot and cover with cold water. You want the potatoes to be covered with 1-2” of water.
2. Place the pot over medium heat.
3. Bring to a boil and add 1/2 teaspoon salt.
4. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance.
5. Drain the potatoes in large colander. Place in a large bowl and add the cream cheese.
6. Add the butter, milk and cream to the now empty potato pot and heat up til the butter is melted and the mixture is warmed..
7. Pour the mixture over the potatoes and cream cheese. Mash the potatoes until they are creamy. If they appear a bit thick add in a few tablespoon of cream until desired consistency.
8. Add in the salt and pepper and mix.; tasting for seasoning.Garnish with a pat of butter on top.

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