Mashed Spuds

Oh, YUM!!

After this thread a couple of days ago, I just had to maked mashed spuds for supper. But I wasn't paying attention, and my glug of milk accidentally became about a 1/2 pint. Oy. They were nasty and runny ... but of course I ate them anyway! Bad mashed spuds are still better than no mashed spuds!

Ooo!  Next time, if that happens, just add some flour, egg, a bit of chopped onion.  Make patties and fry them in a bit of oil and eat them with sour cream!!!  WOW!!!!  My grandma would always make these out of left over mashed spuds in the morning - soooo good!!

~Liza

Ooo!  Next time, if that happens, just add some flour, egg, a bit of chopped onion.  Make patties and fry them in a bit of oil and eat them with sour cream!!!  WOW!!!!  My grandma would always make these out of left over mashed spuds in the morning - soooo good!!

It was just that I had my heart set on mashed.   Plus, I didn't want to take time out to fry them when the rest of the meal was ready to go!

My mom used to use leftover mashed spuds with salmon (and egg, onion and parsley) and fry up fishcakes. I love them!

Oh, YUM!!

Bad mashed spuds are still better than no mashed spuds!

Oh yeah! 

It was just that I had my heart set on mashed.  

Oh, I know, that's just the worst!  I'll get all the stuff out to make something, thinking of it all day long at work, only find I'm missing one key ingredient, and it's too late or I'm too tired to go out and get it.     Those are the nights I have toast and sulk for a bit.   

~Liza

I love mashed potatos. probably in my top 3 favorite all time foods!!
I take the baking type potatos, sometimes skin on sometimes not. cook them. them cut them in to eighths. then I add margarine. a bit of milk, salt and pepper to taste. Sometimes I like to add sour cream and chives into it when I am whipping it up. Creme fraiche is similar but its not the same thing, and personally sour cream is better. I finally found it at tesco extra. sometimes I put a grated garlic piece in sometimes not. mmmmm I want some now, with some home canned green beans marinated in bacon pieces. Wish I were at grandmas now! 

Other times I'll use milk, butter, cabbage and onion (put the cabbage and onion in with the potatoes to boil for the last 10 minutes).  It's a bit like a lazy (wo)man's bubble and squeak.

They call variations of that Colcannon in Ireland... it's one of my all-time faves. I use a nice heavy cabbage like Savoy or kale, and here's the most evil part ever: sometimes I fry up a few slices of streaky bacon, chop it into tiny pieces, and use the leavings to sautee the cabbage for just a couple of minutes, so it's still nice and crunchy. Then, mix in the bacon (and any leavings if there are any) and the sauteed cabbage and sometimes a bit of sauteed onion or leek in with the mash (I always keep skins on), some butter, and a nice hefty does of fresh pepper... the bacon and the cabbage make it so tasty, and there's a bit of crunch in every bite from either the bacon bits or the cabbage.

We always do colcannon rather than boiled potatoes when we do corned beef... it's quite a crowd pleaser, even folks who don't like cabbage.

Side note: my partner loves British-style roasted potatoes, which are unlike anything you get in the states really. The ones where you peel and boil the potatoes, then "roast" (which is really frying) them in a hot oven with oil or beef drippings. Crispy and yummy outside, fluffy on the inside. He always wants this style rather than mash any time we have roast. Along with yorkshire puddings of course. 

Side note: my partner loves British-style roasted potatoes, which are unlike anything you get in the states really. The ones where you peel and boil the potatoes, then "roast" (which is really frying) them in a hot oven with oil or beef drippings. Crispy and yummy outside, fluffy on the inside. He always wants this style rather than mash any time we have roast. Along with yorkshire puddings of course. 

Mmmm... roast potatoes, mashed potatoes ... any potatoes, really!!  If, after you boil the potatoes, you drain the water out, put the lid back on the saucepan and then shake it around really hard for a bit, the roasties will be even fluffier on the inside!

I adore roasted potatoes, but I do mine differently than the traditional style:

1kg new or baby new potatoes
1-2 tsp thyme
sea salt, cracked pepper to taste
2 teaspoons chopped garlic (love Lazy Garlic, cos, well, I'm lazy)
2 medium onions - red onions also work well
2-4 tablespoons olive oil

I use new potatoes or baby new potatoes, depending upon what's available.  Either way, wash and cut potatoes to approximately the same size.  If potatoes are small enough, don't bother cutting them.

Mix spices with dried potatoes and garlic in roasting pan and add enough oil to just coat the potatoes and onions.  The original recipe for this called for 4 tablespoons -- I use a little over 2.

Roast at 220C/425F for an hour.  YUM!

I was inspired - but also lazy.   

I made instant spuds - the good Idahoan ones - and added a bunch of colby-jack cheese, some butter, fresh cracked pepper and salt.  That was dinner.  Mmmmmmmmmmmm!!

~Liza

Thanks to Good Food mag. I found a variation on roasted potatoes that dh and I both absolutely love. I boil baby potatoes whole for about 15 mins (20 if they're a bit big) then drain them and put them on a baking tray. Then take a potato masher and squish them so the skin breaks and exposes just a bit of the insides (so not flattening them, just sort of breaking them open - this is why it's really important that they not be over-boiled which makes them TOO squishy.) Then I use one of those oil spray bottles and spray them very lightly with olive oil and sprinkle them with a bit of salt and some herbs (whatever herbs I've used on the roast - usually thyme) and roast them 20 mins. Pull them out, turn them over, spray with a bit more olive oil and roast that side for another 20 mins.

They're SO yummy - a tiny bit crispier than roasting them without squishing them. Mmmm.

Thanks to Good Food mag. I found a variation on roasted potatoes that dh and I both absolutely love.

I saw that recipe too, Anne!! I cut it out and saved it, but haven't done them yet. Glad to know it's a success!! It sounded really good to me.

I saw that recipe too, Anne!! I cut it out and saved it, but haven't done them yet. Glad to know it's a success!! It sounded really good to me.

LOL. Great minds and all! That recipe was part of a whole menu that I tried and every single recipe was a HUGE success!!!! I love that magazine!!!

I am a glutton for mashed potato. If you mash them, then mix some flour with the mash, form into cakes and grill them with a knob of butter on top, they're lovely.

Also, try chopping an onion and boiling it with the potatoes, mashing them, then putting it in an ovenproof dish, slicing tomatoes and placing them on top with some butter and grilling it until it's brown and crispy on top.

Where's my Mum when I need her to make my dinner?