Creamy Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Mashed Potatoes is probably my all-time favorite food and I cannot seem to eat enough of them. As such I feel they deserve a

web page of their own.

I have been making them for years and years but only recently discovered how and why they get lumpy and how to avoid this.

Personally, I rather like lumpy mashed potatoes - but I have to admit that without lumps there is a creamy taste to them that is unbeatable.

So...why do they get lumps? Let's start with how they are made. A traditional recipe is to peel 2 pounds potatoes, cut into inch square chunks, drop them into boiling water for 20 minutes, drain, add salt, butter, cold milk and stir...

This will cause lumps. Potatoes are made from starch and when starch encounters a drastic temperature change it lumps up into little starch balls - hence the lumpy potatoes. The key to smooth potatoes is to not introduce the potato starch to a rapid temperature change.

Follwing is a recipe for smooth mashed potatoes. Follow this and they will come out smooth.

And be aware of the abbreviations I use in all my recipes:

't' refers to teaspoon
'T' refers to tablespoon
'c' means cup
'#' means pound

Creamy Smooth Mashed Potatoes

Peel 2 pounds of potatoes, cut them up into inch square even sized chunks. Place potato chunks into a pot with cold water and heat on high heat until boiling. Let boil for about 20 minutes until potatoes are done. Test this by sticking a fork into a potato chunk and it should slide in easily and stay on the fork as you lift it for a second or 2 and then slide off.

While the potatoes are boiling, put about a half stick of butter in another pot, add one half cup milk, some salt to taste and heat up just short of boiling.

*When the potatoes are cooked, drain them and place them in a mixing bowl then add the warm* milk/butter mixture and mix everything until well blended. Serve.**

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