Cooking 101: How to make delicious Southern Mashed Potatoes

As usual, I am writing Monday's blog on Sunday evening since I have obligations on Monday morning. Plus, I like working ahead of schedule as much as possible to prevent not posting - which happened Friday. I am still not sure why I didn't get around to writing then.

Anyway.... back on topic. Again. Today it is cold and rainy. For dinner I made chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, peppered gravy (from a mix) and biscuits. It was delicious.

Since mashed potatoes are wonderfully easy and great comfort foods, I thought I would share with you how I make mine.  This is my version of my Mother's mashed potatoes. And, as we all know, Southern Moms are the BEST cooks in the world.  Mine in particular. I may or may not be biased.

So, with no further ado, here is how to make perfectly wonderful Southern Mashed Potatoes that are light and fluffy and perfect in every way like these.

 

 

Yum. 

Don't they look absolutely delicious.

Makes you want to dip into the screen with a spoon and have a bite, right?

Or is it just me?

 

 

 

Since we are now a family of four at our house, I only used 6 small potatoes.

These are Yukon Gold potatoes.

I prefer them for mashed potatoes.

Wash, peel and quarter them, then put them in a pot, cover them with water, and add salt.

Turn them on, cover and boil.

Just like below.

 

Once the potatoes have boiled and are nice and soft, it's time to drain off the hot water,

add butter, softened cream cheese and milk.

 

Looks like the beginnings of wonderful, don't you think?

 

Now that you have everything in there, put the pot back over low heat.

I like to do this so the butter and cream cheese melt into the potatoes nicely.

It also warms the milk so everything blends together beautifully.

 

 

Mash, mix, adding additional milk as necessary until the potatoes

are at your families preferred consistency. 

Salt and pepper.

Put in a bowl and serve.

 

 

Susan's Southern Mashed Potatoes

 

6 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 Tbsp cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup milk

Salt

Pepper

 

1. Put the potatoes in a pot, cover with water. Add salt (not too much).

2. Boil potatoes until soft. About 20 minutes.

3. Test with a fork.

4. When the potatoes are soft, drain.

5. Return potatoes in the pot back over low heat, add butter, cream cheese and a little milk to the pot.

6. Use a fork and begin to mash the potatoes, mixing in the butter, cheese and milk.

7. Continue mashing and mixing until all lumps are gone.

8. Add more milk as necessary to reach desired consistency.

9. Add salt and pepper to taste.

10. Serve and enjoy!!

 

 

**Note - Only keep over heat for as long as needed to melt the butter. Otherwise, you are going to burn the potatoes. Not very tasty. So, work relatively quickly or go ahead and turn off the heat. Better safe than sorry. 

 

Hope your family enjoys these potatoes as much as we do!!

 

***OOPS!!  Sorry I didn't get Monday's blog out until Wednesday. What can I say, life got in the way. I've barely opened my computer since writing this Sunday. Please forgive?