I want to talk to you for a minute
about mashing potatoes
Don’t let me catch you opening a box of some sort and dumping flakes or pieces or whatever those boxes contain, instead of real, fresh from the dirt,
potatoes

It’s easy to make your own.

For four servings you will need four potatoes
Baking potatoes
peel them, wash them and get out your cutting board
Cut them in half and then cut into 1 inch cubes
one of your four can be a sweet potato if you wish but for first timers I would suggest sticking to the original baker type.

One important detail that some people forget is that your saucepan needs to be BIG ENOUGH.
Don’t try to cram your potatoes into a pan that leaves no space at the top.

Too big is better than too small but just right is best!

Once your potatoes are ready, put them into the saucepan which should now have at least two inches of empty space at the top.
Now add water to just below the top of the POTATOES
Turn burner to high and bring potatoes to a boil
Turn heat back to medium. The water should continue to boil gently (or maybe just a teeny bit more than gently)
Cook for approx. 20 minutes or until fork pierces potatoes **easily.
**This is important. You can’t mash your potatoes if they are not soft!!!
Turn burner off and
Drain
I sometimes use a colander to be sure all the water is gone. If you don’t want to use a colander just drain using the lid.
Don’t burn yourself please!
Put potatoes back into pan.
Mash with potato masher

Add
2 TBLSP. butter
1/4 cup milk (I use Skim and they are plenty creamy)
1/2 tsp. salt and pepper to taste
Mash again
Don’t go crazy with the masher. You don’t want the potatoes to get gluey and goookeey! (Yes it is a word)
So mash and if you would like them a bit creamier add a bit more milk (by the TBLSP)
Please don’t make them soupy.
Good mashed potatoes should still hold their shape but be soft and moist

Yum!
Serve right away with Steak and Gravy or something else with gravy