Simply Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are cooking 101. Every cook should know how to make mashed potatoes. Once you get it down, they really are super simple, but I know it can be intimidating for a new cook. Well, maybe that was just me. But in case anyone else out there has ever had undercooked, lumpy, sticky, soupy, or flavorless mashed potatoes, this post is for you. ;)

Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Peel 6 russet potatoes and cut into small, uniformly sized pieces. Place in pot of boiling water and boil for 20-30 minutes. The smaller the pieces, the less time they will have to cook. You can test by taking out one of the largest pieces and piercing with a fork. If it crumbles apart upon being pierced, they are ready. Undercooked pieces will result in lumps so this is a crucial step. Drain water. Place potato pieces into a large bowl. Throw in a generous dollop of butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and splash in some milk (start with a small amount and add more if needed). Now, you are going to get that handy dandy potato masher we all have with our utensils, but never use. Use it! DO NOT mix your potatoes with an electric mixer, that will make them sticky. Use some good old muscle power and mash those potatoes until smooth, adding more milk if necessary. If you cooked the potatoes long enough, they should mash real easy. Taste and add more butter or seasoning if desired. You can also add a couple tablespoons of cream cheese (at room temperature) for added creaminess.


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