Homecooked Mashed Potatoes
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There’s always enough time to make home cooked mashed potatoes. And I don’t care who you are or what diet your on…they’re good eats and they should be eaten at least once a week!
My Memaw always simmered her spuds with chopped onions mixed in the pot. Mmm, mmm, that’s the way to do it too! My kids love’em that way. There have been times when I forget to add them in and they noticed. They have no idea they’re eating finely chopped onions in their precious mashed potatoes. For now, it’s a secret ingredient. When they’re older, I’ll tell them.
HERE’S ALL IT TAKES
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup finely chopped onions
- 4 medium to large spuds (Idaho potatoes are the best)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup milk, heated
- salt and pepper, to taste
Finely chop the onions and add to a large cooking pot.
Peel spuds and cut into 1 inch pieces for faster cooking.
Cover spuds, onions, and 1 teaspoon of salt with just enough water to come to the tops of the spud pieces. Bring water to a boil then reduce heat to medium and simmer 15 minutes, until pieces can be broken with a fork.
Meanwhile, using a Pyrex measuring cup, melt butter and heat milk together in the microwave. 1 minute on high should do the trick. Set aside.
After the spuds are tender, drain off all the water. Make a lap around the pan with a potato masher to get the big chunks. Add 1/2 the milk & butter mix, and another take two laps around the pan. Switch over to a strong wooden spoon and add the rest of the milk & butter mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
You’re ready to eat!
Comment by Ben on 5 May 2008:
Oh that mashed potatoes looks really good. I like to leave the skin in making them country version, but I wouldn’t say no to this delicious looking bunch :-p
Comment by Andy on 6 May 2008:
Interesting tip with the onions. I’ll try it next time and see how it goes.
Comment by Hollie on 7 May 2008:
I ususally add the chopped onions raw with cream cheese for a different taste. I’ll try this new technique!
Comment by Jill on 7 May 2008:
Hi Hollie,
Cooking the onions with the spuds gives it a milder onion flavor.
Oh!Cream cheese is so yummy in mashed potatoes. Sometimes I use light sour cream with milk, instead of butter, then I top it with green onions. It’s like eating mashed baked potatoes.
Comment by Jill on 7 May 2008:
Ben, I love leaving the skins on too! But the kids complain there’s something weird in their mashed potatoes. So, I peel them.
One day they’ll be older and cooler about textures and new flavors. I remember not digging weird stuff in my food when I was young. I grew out of it by the time I was in Jr. high.
Meanwhile, I’m patiently waiting and appreciating the challenge of keeping meals simple and friendly for them. It’s much more fun to watch my kids devour their dinner, than to see them choking it down.
Can I hear an ‘Amen’ out there?
Comment by Colleen W on 8 May 2008:
Definitely a difference in flavor when it comes to homemade mashed potatoes versus the packaged brand. Sure, it takes a little bit longer to make, but in the long run, if you make them from scratch then you can feel good about serving them because you know exactly what you put into them, ingredient-wise.
Comment by Jill on 8 May 2008:
I remember back in the days when I truly did not know how to make homemade mashed potatoes. I used the dried flakes. I couldn’t even get those right.
I would add milk, then more butter, then too much butter, add more flakes trying to firm them up, not understanding that they would NEVER firm up, then more milk….until I have a giant bowl of white mush.
I don’t think I learned how to make mashed potatoes overnight. It’s taken me a while to make them good, consistently.