Mom's Mashed Potatoes

Wow! The new blog is starting to feel more like home and less like a new blog! I’ve added some links to the site for your enjoyment! In honor of this homey feeling, I have a very special post for you! Every Thanksgiving, Christmas, or family dinner, my mother always asks us what we (my brother and I) want her to make for dinner. Every time it’s the same two answers…mashed potatoes and potatoes au gratin. So, I’ve decided to share the mashed potatoes recipe with you because they make me feel warm and cuddly on the inside, and I would love for you to have that same feeling! So, here is the recipe! If you do make them, please leave a message on this post and let me know how they turned out! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Garlic (lots & lots! Mom uses a couple tablespoons of the canned garlic, but I used about 5-8 chopped cloves of fresh garlic…whichever you prefer or have handy!)

Salt (for while the potatoes boil…potatoes absorb the salt in the water they are cooked in…not after you add it. Also a few tablespoons)

Butter (about half a stick)

Heavy whipping cream (not a lot…just a few drops while you’re mashing the potatoes)

Sour cream (about half a 16oz container)

Potatoes (enough to almost fill the pot after they are cut)

Directions:

Wash, peel, and cut the potatoes into small pieces (about 1-2 inches a piece). Put the cut potato pieces in a large pot and put enough water to cover the pieces. Add garlic and salt and boil the potatoes until soft. (Test with a fork to make sure that they are soft).

(washed and cut potatoes...I decided to leave the skins on these ones for a little pop of color and some added nutrients!)

Once potatoes are soft, drain the water (do not rinse) and put the pieces back in the pot. Turn on the heat and stir them over the heat for about a minute or so—no longer or they will burn. This is to dry the remaining water off the potatoes.

Time to mash the potatoes! Add a half a stick of butter cut into small-ish pieces. Using a hand potato masher, start mashing, adding a tiny bit of heavy whipping cream while you mash to soften them up. Once the potatoes are mashed, add about half a 16oz tub of sour cream and stir in. Once you add the sour cream, grab a spoon and dig in! NOM NOM!