Recipes

[chickenbutt]

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@SurferWife wrote:

Secret ingredient...8 oz. cream cheese...now it's no longer a secret.

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I want to try this and I keep forgetting.  As I've mentioned I put some hard cheese in mine, as I like that it adds to the flavor a bit but you are still tasting potatoes and that's what I like.  But I bet the cream cheese, instead of the hard cheese, is as good or better.  Thanks for the reminder. 

[chickenbutt]

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@Harpa wrote:

Lots of remedies on line to read about.

I never have this problem, and have not followed any of the sage on-line advice.

In a pot of salted water, the washed, unpeeled potatoes are cubed and cooked until tender. While they cook away, I skim off any starch that floats to the top.

Potatoes are drained, but not overly drained. (The on-line advice says to drain well.) They are put back into the pot, where I add a stick of softened butter, which melts pretty quickly around the hot potatoes.

Into the pot goes the cream....a little at at time, and I begin to mix with the hand mixer, slowly at first. I add cream to the consistency I want, and speed up the mixer to the highest speed. (Sometimes I heat the cream perhaps with a sprig of fresh rosemary...)

As soon as all lumps are gone, I stop the mixing.

I don't know if it's the butter, or the skimming, or just plain luck, but they always come out perfect!

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I don't know if the skimming helps at all either, but I feel like I absolutely MUST do this!   I catch it while it's that big, pillowy white stuff on top before it gets all crusty on the sides of the pan.   It just seems like the thing to do! 

[proudlyfromNJ]

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@chickenbutt wrote:

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@SurferWife wrote:

Secret ingredient...8 oz. cream cheese...now it's no longer a secret.

---

I want to try this and I keep forgetting.  As I've mentioned I put some hard cheese in mine, as I like that it adds to the flavor a bit but you are still tasting potatoes and that's what I like.  But I bet the cream cheese, instead of the hard cheese, is as good or better.  Thanks for the reminder. 

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@chickenbutt  Martha Stewart always uses the cream cheese in mashed potatoes. She said her Mother always used it when Martha was growing up.

[kare29]

After I drain my potatoes I put them back on the burner on a low heat to evaporate any remaining liquid and this also helps to  eliminate the starch film.  I use a hand masher  Add butter, milk, garlic powder and salt and pepper.  My potato of choice is russets. 

This was a hint I picked up from Rachael Ray, if memory serves me.  I have been doing this for a few years and find it works well for me.

[Whitney400]

I only use Idaho potatoes for mashed potatoes.  Boil them, then use a hand mixer adding pepper, salt, 1/2 and 1/2 or milk and butter.  Whipping them makes them very fluffy without being runny.

[Toppers3]

I do like many of you do, and use a hand-masher.

I also add in the butter first, and then add in the milk and the salt and pepper to taste.

I'll use either russets or red potatoes, and I'll either peel them or leave the skins on for what are called "country-style" potatoes.

I also agree that when you hand-mash them, they seem to come out fluffy.

I love home-made mashed potatoes and could just eat them by themselves, or with gravy. 

[ECBG]

@Carmie 

Over beating can turn mashed potatoes into glue as well.  

[Twins Mom]

You all have got some great suggestions!  I am going to enjoy trying them each out.  Keep hints coning!