Vegetables: Mashed Potatoes 06 by Recipe Cottage

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	Mashed Potatoes 06

		Basic Mashed Potatoes Boil potatoes in salted until they break apart easily when prodded with a fork or knifetip. If you slice or chunk them they will cook quicker. Allow about a half hour from setting the pot on the burner for whole potatoes; start testing after ten minutes for slices. Drain well. Drop in a chunk of butter (or margarine if you must) and apply masher as the butter melts. When I use a 2 quart pot, I drop in about 2 Tbsp. of butter. (You can use an electric mixer instead of a hand masher, but the consistency comes out gluey. Ick!) When the potatoes are almost as smooth as you like them (I prefer to leave some lumps), start adding milk and/or cream and mashing that in. Start with about half a cup, and then add dribs and drabs until the potatoes reach the consistency you like. (Be aware that mealy potatoes will soak up a lot more milk than waxy ones, so if you aren't going to serve them immediately, add just a little more milk after they're "ready".) Variations: Add a few drops of Tobasco sauce with the milk. Using one drop per serving will not make it hot or taste like pepper, but it will taste better. Boil a couple of cloves of garlic with the potatoes and mash them in, or sprinkle garlic powder over as you add the milk. Ditto sliced onions, or onion powder. Stir in chopped parsley or chives at the very end.