Mashed Potatoes vs. Smashed Potatoes
I grew up eating potato buds. Yep, the flakes out of a box. I think this was due to the fact that my mother is just not fond of potatoes. She and my father are also not fans of peas or asparagus, both of which I eat regularly. Okay, I can understand avoiding a vegetable, especially a green one, but a potato? Anyway - I have grown to love potatoes, in any format. When I was cooking and waiting tables at the short order establishment, I fell for their mashed skin-on-baby-reds. They were loaded with butter and sour cream and some spices, and I could never really get enough of them. I would often just order a side. Forget the meat, or the soggy green vegetable, I needed those chunky potatoes.
That is until Husband started mashing. Not sure when it started, but there was probably an occasion where I was trying to finish up 3 or 4 dishes and the potatoes needed to be mashed. I probably asked him, and after grumbling, he probably took the masher (which belonged to my grandmother, by the way) and proceeded to mash the little dickens into smooth bowl of heaven. We add whatever is in the refrigerator, sour cream, butter, heavy cream, and always some wasabi paste.
And they're like heaven. They're so easy, and so quick. And really not that all bad for you, right?
2 comments:
OK, now I feel I need to defend myself because of the Potato Buds comment. It wasn't just because I didn't like potatoes but also because I was never able to make them without lumps. But it's true that I'm not fond of potatoes. And I can blame my mother, Jenn's grandma, for that. ("every generation blames the one before" - isn't that in a song or something?) My mother thought there had to be potatoes at EVERY meal and I just grew sick of them by the time I had grown up. But I have become fond of those tasty little fingerling potatoes roasted in the oven with olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper, a recipe that Jenn gave me. You should share that recipe here in your blog, Jenn - it's delicious.
Okay, by request. This recipe is from Cooking Light, and like the name, is very simple. Enjoy!
Simple Roasted Fingerlings
Small fingerlings become deliciously fluffy inside when they're roasted. We like the crunchy texture of kosher salt, but you can also use 1/2 teaspoon regular table salt. Red-fleshed fingerling potatoes are waxier than yellow-fleshed, so they crisp on the outside; use whatever variety you can find, though, since either will work.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds red- or yellow-fleshed fingerling potatoes
Cooking spray
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine oil and potatoes on a jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with salt and peppers; toss to coat. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until tender when pierced with a knife.
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