Grandpa’s Mashed Potatoes

These are not your traditional potato skins, but instead gives you a yummy use for the left-over skins.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 “regular” russett potatoes – Use starchy, not waxy
• 1 carrot – julienne strips
• 1-2 C raw cauliflower – cut into one inch pieces
• 1/2 onion – slivers
• 3 TBL olive oil OR 6 TBL butter
• 2 TBL “chives” or cut green onion tops
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/4 CU half and half (at the very end) or low-fat buttermilk
  Use whole milk if you must, but not low fat regular milk

STEP BY STEP

1. Cut the skins off the potatoes into nice large flat hunks. This can be stored in a bowl of salted water and used later for potato skins.
   When ready, bake peels at 400º for 20 minutes.
2. Rinse remaining potatoes and cut into one inch (or less) sized pieces.
3. Cut 1/2 onion into slices into mixing bowl
4. Using a potato peeler, peel the carrot into the mixing bowl.
5. Toss potatoes, onion and carrot in the mixing bowl
6. Put the pieces into a steamer basket with one inch of water in the bottom of the pan.
   Alternately you can use a pot of water, but this rinses a lot of the sugars and starches away.
7. Cook or steam potatoes for about 20 minutes
8. Drain water from pan and put veggies back into the empty pan.
9. Add 6 TBL of butter
10. Using a potato masher, crush the pieces into a mush. If you like “lumpy” potatoes, don’t crush them too much.
11. Add splashes of milk product, stirring continually, ONLY to the point of giving them a creamy texture
12. Add chives and oregano and mix with a fork.
13. Optional:  At this point, you can add a bit of shredded cheddar cheese
14. For really fancy potatoes, pipe them into mounds using a fluted piping tip, then broil them for about three minutes.  Otherwise, just plate and serve with a side of gravy.

• Special Steps A “quick release” ice-cream scoop can give you those pretty restaurant mounds of potatoes.
• Variations For less starch in the potatoes, and less stringent onions, run tap water gently through them after  Step 3.

Healthy Alternative

Use half russet potato and half cauliflower.  Add a bit of extra salt and butter.