How Sweet Eats House Mashed Potatoes.

Sharing our favorite house mashed potatoes with you today!! Hello How Sweet Eats best mashed potatoes!

To say I used to be a potato freak would be an understatement. Growing up – we’re talking my entire childhood – I’d proclaim that potatoes were my favorite food. I LOVED them.

And the preparation did not matter. I loved them baked, mashed, scalloped and obviously… in fry form. Of course!

The obsession somewhat waned as I got older, but that’s not to say that I don’t still love potatoes. I do! 

And especially these potatoes. They are the ideal comfort food.

It should come as no surprise but my mom makes incredible mashed potatoes. They are perfect every time. And just like the stuffing I shared yesterday, these potatoes are a dish that go quickly in our house on Thanksgiving. Most people want seconds and also love leftovers.

Here, I think it’s because we don’t often have mashed potatoes throughout the year. Occasionally I will make them with a roast or something special for Eddie (he loves those meals!) but more often than not we do smashed potatoes like these. 

Hence why we all love the mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving!

A few of my secrets? 

My favorites are russets or yukon golds when it comes to mashing. I love both!

One of the biggest tips is to not cut the potatoes into small chunks. So many people make this mistake because the potatoes will cook more quickly, but it also means that they will get waterlogged. I cut mine in half or quarters, depending on the size, trying to make sure they are all even in size. This way the cook evenly and are finished at the same time!

Don’t overmash or overwhip! If you aren’t a seasoned cook in the kitchen, I highly suggest mashing a bit with a potato masher first. Or using a ricer if you have one. Then if you want things super smooth, use a hand mixer – gently!. You have more control with the hand mixer than a stand mixer. With that being said, I do occasionally use my stand mixer because I know exactly how much I can whip without making gluey potatoes. I only ever use the electric mixers if I’m making a big batch on Thanksgiving.

Warm together the milk and butter for mashing. This makes a huge difference and really helps you achieve that silky texture with the butter evenly distributed.

The potatoes need lots of salt! Just like with pasta, I salt the water when boiling the potatoes. After mashing, I continue to taste and season them until they are just right. 

If you have leftover potatoes… 

Make mashed potato pancakes! This was a speciality of my mom’s when I was growing up. She made the absolute BEST!! This irish cheddar version is extra delicious too. 

I also love to make mashed potato waffles. These are an indulgent treat after thanksgiving. 

Or how about leftover thanksgiving breakfast biscuits?! 

Now since we’re talking about the Thanksgiving classics, I obviously wanted to share our favorite traditional plain mashed potato recipe with you. 

However! Given my potato love that I mentioned about, I have certainly made my fair share of trashed up mashed potato recipes in the pasta. 

My favorite non-traditional version are these buttermilk bacon blue mashed potatoes. I also love these goat cheese mashed potatoes, and of course, brown butter mashed potatoes. 

Finally, these rosemary smashed potatoes are a treat too! 

What kind of potato person are you?

Best Mashed Potatoes

How Sweet Eats House Mashed Potatoes

Yield: 8 to 10 people

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 20 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

These are the best mashed potatoes that make any comfort meal shine! Melted butter and cream bring these traditional potatoes together.

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Ingredients

• 5 pounds russet or yukon gold potatoes, washed and peeled
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for topping
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

• Note: to prep these ahead of time, wash, peel and chop you potatoes. Place them in a large bowl and cover them with cold ice water. Store them in the fridge for 12 to 18 hours before preparing.
• Slice the potatoes in half or in quarters, depending on the size. You want the potato chunks to all roughly be the same size.
• Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold water over medium heat. Season the water with a big pinch of salt. Bring the potatoes to a boil, then boil until they are fork tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. (If your potato chunks are smaller, check after 10 minutes.)
• While the potatoes are boiling, heat the butter and cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the mixture is warmed through.
• Drain the potatoes well and place them back in the pot. Use a potato mashed or ricer to begin mashing the potatoes into the consistency you enjoy. Mash in half of the butter and cream mixture and 1 teaspoon salt. At this point, if you want to use a hand mixer, now is the time. You don’t want to over mix! Keep it on low speed and move it around the bowl constantly, just for a minute or two, breaking up any larger chunks that didn’t mash. Stir in the rest of the milk and butter mixture. Taste and season the potatoes with more salt if needed. Taste frequently so you can get an idea of how much salt to add!
• Serve the potatoes with a few pats of butter on top if you wish.
• To serve 4: Cut this recipe in half exactly. Taste and season with more salt if necessary.
• To serve 12 to 16: Double this recipe exactly, but taste after 2 teaspoons of salt have been added. Continue to mash and taste and season until your desired flavor is reached.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Author: How Sweet Eats

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So buttery!