Mike loves potatoes. Baked, fried, mashed … if a potato is somehow incorporated into a dish, odds are Mike will be a fan! I tease him that someday he needs to go to a restaurant and order a meal entirely made up of potato side dishes: “I’ll have a baked potato with a side of mashed potatoes and potato salad and some french fries for dessert.” You think I’m joking, but if Mike ordered such a meal he would enjoy every bite.

Which goes to say that I have experimented with many different recipes featuring potatoes. The tried-and-true classic, and perhaps my favorite way to eat a potato, is mashed. My mom makes the best mashed potatoes in the universe, so in my mind I can never compete with hers. But I’ve come up with a recipe that Mike really loves, so I wanted to share it with you. I’m a fan because: 1) it’s pretty quick; 2) it’s pretty simple; and 3) for mashed potatoes, it’s pretty healthy, featuring vitamin-rich potato skins, skim milk, fat-free sour-cream, and still plenty of flavor and a great creamy texture.

In the next couple of days I’ll post a recipe for my great-grandma Rahn’s stuffed chicken breasts, which I made the other night alongside these mashed potatoes for a truly delish meal.

my favorite mashed potatoes

-2 lbs of your favorite potatoes {I used regular old russets but am also a fan of yukon golds}
-1/4 cup butter, softened
-1/4 cup skim milk
-2 tbsp fat-free sour cream
-2 tsp chopped garlic {or, in a pinch, you might use garlic powder}
-2 tsp dried basil
-salt & pepper to taste

1. Cube the potatoes {leave the skin on} and bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, carefully drop the potatoes in, and cook until tender, which for me usually takes about 15-20 minutes.

2. Drain the water from the potatoes and dump them into a bowl or back into the pot. Mash them to desired texture {I use a potato masher and like to leave them a little lumpy}

3. Add the milk and sour cream and mix well. Season with garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Enjoy!

I’ve also found some potential recipes for using up leftover mashed potatoes that I am planning to try soon … I will keep you posted!

Happy cooking & yummy eating!
-Dallas

—————————–

Time: 30 mins
Cost: $3.00