This is one of my new family recipes. Last Thanksgiving my mom went through one of my old Southern Livings and she found a fantastic recipe for the perfect mashed potatoes.
Here is the recipe:
3 lb Yukon gold potatoes
2 tsp salt, divided
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup half-and-half
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 tsp ground pepper
Peel and cut potatoes into 1 in. pieces. Place potatoes and 1 tsp. salt in cold water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 16 to 20 minutes until fork tender. Drain.
Return potatoes to pot and cook until water evaporates and potatoes look dry. Move potatoes to one side of pot and add butter, remaining salt and the rest of the ingredients to opposite side of pot. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until butter is melted and mixture boils.
Remove from heat and beat with hand mixer at medium speed for about 1 minute (make sure not to overbeat) or mash with potato masher. Serve immediately.
That’s all there is to these awesome potatoes. We found that no matter how you like to season your mashed potatoes, as long as, after you cook them, you heat the potatoes until they look dry they always turn out great.
The gravy we made was a by-the-seat-of-our-pants kind of recipe. We actually forgot to get the necessary items for gravy last Thanksgiving and this is what we came up with on short notice:
1 can chicken broth
Several tablespoons flour (can use cornstarch if available)
About 2 teaspoons tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring chicken broth to boil. Whisk in enough flour until broth thickens (about 3 tablespoons), if using cornstarch make slurry of cornstarch and cold water before adding to broth. Add tarragon and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
I hope you enjoy these potatoes and the gravy as much as we do!
–Aly
My Little Diversions 