Sunday, January 31, 2016

Secret Recipe Club: Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, I was assigned Susan's blog, The Wimpy Vegetarian.  Susan is the leader of the subgroup I'm in, so I must admit I was rather nervous!  Thankfully, Susan is very nice.  She's also very creative in the kitchen and has all kinds of fantastic looking recipes on her blog!  She has formal culinary school training, which I think is pretty awesome.  She also gets to live in nice, warm California, says the lady trapped in the dead of an Alaskan winter.  Can I come visit you, Susan?
 
Anyway, like I said, Susan has lots of great recipes.  I was particularly drawn to Figgy Cardamom Snickerdoodles (how amazing do those look?), Lemony Three Bean Salad, and Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad with Caramelized Onions.  As tasty as those looked, I ended up choosing Cheesy Mashed Potatoes because I'd only ever used russet potatoes for mashed potatoes and haven't really ever added cheese to them.
 
The mashed potatoes turned out really well and seemed rather fancy, especially considering how easy they were to make.  I couldn't find the the Frieda's Butter Babies potatoes that the recipe called for, but thought they looked rather like Yukon Gold, so went with those.  The mashed potatoes were so soft and tender, and had a rather sweet quality to them because of the Yukon Golds.  We liked them for sure and I will make them again, but think I'll use either good ol' russets, or try baby red potatoes instead because we prefer the sweetness of Yukon Gold potatoes on their own.  I served the potatoes with baked salmon and roasted green beans, it was a great meal.
 
Thank you, Susan!
  
 
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
 
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
2 1/2 Tbsp butter
1/3 C half and half
1 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried parsley or 2 Tbsp fresh minced parsley
1 C smoothly melting cheese (I used cheddar)
 
Wash potatoes, then cook until soft using whatever method you like.  I used my pressure cooker.  Place potatoes in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher.  Melt butter in the microwave, then add milk and heat 30 more seconds, until warm.  Add to potatoes along with seasonings, and continue to mash.  Stir in cheese.  Cover with foil if you aren't going to serve within a minute or two.
 
Yield:  About 6 servings

<!-- end InLinkz script —>

12 comments:

  1. Red potatoes would be another great pick for this recipe - great idea. And yes, the Yukons are the closest to Freida's Butter Babies. I'm so glad you enjoyed them. And thanks for your kind words :-).

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, and BY THE WAY, I had YOUR blog this month - and I LOVED it. I put it into an avocado toast and now have my favorite lunch!!!! Thank you!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I know... getting the moderator as assignment is a bit stressful, isn't it? But how could you go wrong with cheesy mashed potatoes?

    ;-)

    Have a great Reveal Day!

    ReplyDelete
  4. My husband has been wanting mashed potatoes. I bet he'd be especially happy if I add cheese to them!

    That meal looks wonderful.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Potatoes + Cheese, how can you go wrong with that? Great SRC choice.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh, your dinner looks absolutely delicious! You're so good. I would have made this recipe for dinner and nothing else. Cheese and potatoes - that covers all the food groups, right? =o) Another delicious recipe you chose and one I would have picked too!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hmmm - we have mashed potatoes all the time and I've never thought to add cheese to them. Susan is creative and fun, so I'll definitely consider "appropriating" this approach next time I'm planning on having mashed potatoes.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Potatoes and cheese. Perfect for, well...whenever! These look delicious.

    ReplyDelete
  9. What is smoothly melting cheese? Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  10. Mashed potatoes with cheddar - perfect! Cheese always (almost) makes things better ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Mashed potatoes with cheddar - perfect! Cheese always (almost) makes things better ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. You said cheesy so I came running. Love Susan's blog and you did a great job. Wonderful pick for SRC!

    ReplyDelete