Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes

Have you ever met a mashed potato you didn’t like???

I have….a lot.

What can I say, I guess I’m just not a mashed potatoes person…I have warned you in the past; I am “different” than most…

So that got me thinking…(it happens sometimes) why don’t I like mashed potatoes (most of the time)????

Here’s why…most of the time they are either too grainy, or too buttery, or too skinny (no not like the potatoes will make you thin…I would probably eat those all day long regardless), I mean there’s just too much of that darn skin that I have to chew through. Sometimes they are just plain bland and dry – gross!

So my quest for the perfectly creamy, wonderfully flavorful, not too buttery mashed potatoes has led me to this recipe.

It has been a work in progress for a while now, and I think, if I do say so myself, that they are nearing perfection!!! I could literally sit and eat these by the large spoonful…all of them….and I have…(again those skinny potatoes are looking so much better right now…)

These will require some preparation…

Mental and emotional – look in the mirror and tell yourself that it’s ok if you eat ALL of the mashed potatoes. You are still a good person. You can work them off later. (I had to repeat this step after I made them and after I ate lots and lots and lots of them)

Physical – well, I guess you could go run some laps or something…but my physical prep was more like this: put the kids in the other room with ALL of their toys in piles surrounding them. Give them snacks and maybe a show…then call your dad (who conveniently lives next door…score!!) and ask him to come entertain the kids who think that the kitchen is really the only room in the house that holds any remote interest at this specific time.

If your dad doesn’t live next door…I suggest restraints….hahaha just kidding..sort of. No really I am just kidding, do not restrain your children so that you can go cook in peace!

Oh and go pour yourself a glass of wine. Wine helps me cook. Tell yourself that too please…

Ok, if you have done your prep….most importantly the mental and emotional…and the glass of wine part…then you are ready!!!

Here. We. Go.

What you need:

5 lb bag potatoes

3 large garlic cloves

1 package cream cheese

1 stick unsalted butter

1 16 oz tub sour cream

salt to taste

pepper to taste

dill to taste (I like dill…a .lot…but if you don’t, I won’t hold it against you…rosemary, thyme or parsley would do just fine)

What you do:

Hold a potato and ponder the meaning of life…

not really…just peel it

Place those bad boys in the teeny tiny Ikea colander that you bought in your first apartment and can’t seem to part with…. and rinse

Have your dad quarter the potatoes since your children don’t want to leave you alone and wielding a knife with a 3-year-old climbing up your leg can be a bit dangerous….

Hello, I am a quartered potato….

Place them in a pot; fill the pot with just enough water to cover the potatoes. Don’t worry if you overfill…the potatoes will still taste good…you just might have to clean up a watery, potatoey, starchy mess when it boils over….

Peel the garlic cloves and chop off the ends…or if you are like me and feel that chopping with the skin on makes it easier…then by all means reverse my above directions…

and add them to the pot of potato water…. trust me

Bring the potatoes and garlic to a boil; boiling for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender (translation…you can stick a fork in them like they are butter).

Remove the pot from the heat and drain the water out (in that oh-so-tiny-but-I-can’t-quite-part-with-it-even-though-I-always-spill-stuff-out-of-it-cause-it’s-just-too-small-colander perhaps).

Place the potatoes and garlic back in the pot and move it back onto the stove.

and add half of the cream cheese

half of the butter

and half of the tub of sour cream (I did tell you this wasn’t the skinny recipe right???)

Set the burner to medium and mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Yes with a potato masher…if you use an electric mixer it will break down the potatoes and make them more grainy.

Did I mention you need muscles to cook with me???

Once well mashed, add the remaining cream cheese, butter and sour cream, as well as the salt, pepper and dill.

Mix the whole creamy, delicious mess with a large spoon, take about 3 heaping bites and add more salt, pepper or dill to taste. Then take about 6 more bites…just to make sure we have reached perfection of course…

Go follow the “mental and emotional” prep from earlier….

Now serve with some amazing meatloaf (recipe coming soon) and yummy carrots (like I did as you can see) or maybe not…maybe you just want to stand by the stove and eat and eat and eat until you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Either way I hope you find them as delectable as I do!!!

Yields approximately 10-12 servings. (Unless you eat a ton as you go…then it’s anybody’s guess)

Happy Cooking!!!

The “printable” for all y’all who don’t like to run back and forth to the computer (that’s what I do…don’t be like me)

Ingredients

5 lb bag potatoes

3 large garlic cloves

1 package cream cheese

1 stick unsalted butter

1 16 oz tub sour cream

salt to taste

pepper to taste

dill to taste

Preparation

Peel, rinse and quarter the potatoes. Place them in a pot. Place just enough water in the pot to cover the potatoes. Peel the garlic cloves and add them to the pot. Bring potatoes and garlic to a boil. Boil for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from heat and drain the water out. Place the pot back on the stove and add half of the cream cheese, butter and sour cream. Set the burner to medium and mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Once well mashed, add the remaining cream cheese, butter and sour cream, as well as the salt, pepper and dill. Mix with a large spoon. Add more salt, pepper or dill to taste. Yields approximately 10-12 servings.