Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes - Only my favorite childhood food.

It's hard to beat good mashed potatoes as a side dish and really easy to make.

Gather the following ingredients:

Potatoes - regular ones not the yellow and not the red ones
Milk
Butter

Optional toppings:
Butter
Sour Cream
Cheese
Bacon
Salt
Pepper

Large pot with lid
Mixer
Potato peeler
Paring knife
Cutting board

Fill pot with cold water.  Leave room for the potatoes.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters the long way.  Rinse and place into pot.

Turn stove on to a medium high heat.  Cook for 30 minutes and then check the potatoes by sticking them with a fork.  The fork should pierce the potato easily, but not completely fall apart.  If the potato is very firm cook for another 5 minutes.  If it almost seems right try another couple of minutes.  You need to find the perfect medium.  Stop cooking them too soon and your potatoes will be lumpy.  Over cook them and all you will have is mush.

Drain the potatoes using the lid and pot holders.  Be very careful of the steam and do not pour the water into your pants (it happens).

Remove the lid and add between 2 and 4 tabs of butter depending on the amount of potatoes.  Pour some milk over the potatoes.  Start with 1/4 of a cup.  You can always add more.  Too much milk can make it overly creamy.  My grandmother used to make it without milk at all because I am lactose intolerant.  I loved her so much for doing that I didn't have the heart to tell her a little milk wouldn't kill me.

Use the mixer to smash the potatoes until they are nice and fluffy.

Toppings:
Add one or as many of the suggested toppings as you wish.  I like to start with the butter and then the cheese, bacon crumbs if I have them, sour cream on top of that, and then salt and pepper for taste.  I do not promote sour cream on mashed potatoes, but it can be good.