Monday Recipe
Lazy A** Mashed Potatoes (LAMPS)
More of a rustic mash, as I don’t peel the potatoes. Or agonize over excessive mashing, either. These are great as a side with any meal involving gravy.
You’ll need:
• 5 pounds Red Or Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 3/4 cups Butter
• 1 package (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1/2 cup (to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half
• 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Lawry’s Seasoned Salt (or Sea Salt, cook’s choice)
• 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Black Pepper
You’ll do:
1) Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.
2) Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.
3) Turn off the stove and add 1 ½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, and stir to combine. Add about ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper.
4)Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.
5) Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.
Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time.
Category: Cooking
At first glance I saw Vanilla ice cream.
At second glance I saw the butter pats and thought
Vanilla ice cream with butter pats. Yummy.
“…as a side with any meal involving gravy.” Welp, you done got that Hardin Boy’s attention now. You know how he is about gravy. Now if we could just go ahead and fry up some country style (chicken fried to some) beef beast steak, or some porked beast chops, grounded beef beast with brown gravy…well you get the idea. Don’t forget the pan of cat headed biscuits, since you got the oven on.
Let’s Eat.
And Vanilla ice cream for desert.
Dang. Sounds good. Any or all of it!
As a certified descendant Mick, I can say with some authority there ain’t no bad recipe for a cooked potato.
Consuming potatoes, cream and butter in Ireland tends to spoil you for those items anywhere else in the world. Potato soup in a B&B there remains one of my most fondly remembered culinary experiences, and that was 30 or 40 years ago! The buttered rolls with the soup? Ahhhhh.
The Harp was splendid as well.
Mashed potatoes that are pushed through a ricer are an abomination to all of mankind and should be punished by death.
For those who like to cook under pressure…..
Mashed Potatoes in A Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
3 lbs russet potatoes peeled or unpeeled and quartered
3 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
1 cup low-sodium chicken
broth or water
1/2 cup half-and-half or whole milk
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp fine sea salt
ground black pepper
Instructions
PRESSURE COOK.
Combine the potatoes, garlic, and broth in the inner cooking pot. Lock the lid into place and turn the valve to “sealing.” Select Manual or Pressure cook and adjust the pressure to High. Set the time for 8 minutes. When cooking ends, carefully turn the valve to “venting” to quick release the pressure.
MASH THE POTATOES.
Drain the potatoes in a colander set over a large bowl, reserving most of the cooking liquid in the bowl. Transfer the potatoes to another large bowl and add the half-and-half and butter to them. Use a potato masher (or electric mixer) to mash the potatoes, adding the reserved cooking water a little at a time, until they are the texture you like. Season with the salt and pepper.
Butter, cream and half & half in one dish: I think I can go for that with no resistance.
Resistance is futile!
By the way, we are missing, or have not discussed one of the best uses of mashed potatoes that are left are over from meals in the form of what is loosely called a “potato cake.”
Simply add chopped onion to the remaining mashed potatoes and other spices to taste. (Cayenne pepper, dried herbs, chili flakes, etc.)
Form the mixture into something that looks like a hockey puck and then fry in a skillet in butter or oil (I prefer butter because butter.) until golden brown on each side. Serve garnished however you like.
You can also make them in the size of half dollars, but the point is they are yummy and are from leftover mashed potatoes.