Mashed Potatoes: Comfort Food On A Winter’s Night

I recently read a study which stated that people who choose dieting as their New Year’s Resolution will give in within four days. So if you’ve made it to the 12th, then you have more will power than 40 percent of the people out there.

For those of us who couldn’t quite make it, we can retreat to the glorious comfort food of mashed potatoes. The good news is that it’s much better for us than a gallon of ice cream.

There are two basic versions of mashed potatoes: Actually mashed, and whipped. Mashing simply involves boiling potatoes and mashing them with your hands or some other instrument. This creates a more lumpy and thicker type of mashed potato. Whipped means mashing the potatoes and then placing them in a mixer or blender, so they are smooth and creamy.

Once you have your version picked, then it’s time for the fixings. These are the delightful taste treats that truly make mashed potatoes a comfort food. Lets start with the basics:

Butter. A mashed potato standard. A dab or two of butter in hot mashed potatoes and you’ve got some tasty taters.

Salt and Pepper. Take it easy on these mainstays. Especially if you have high blood pressure. A little dab will do you.

Garlic. Mix in some fresh garlic and get ready for a taste explosion. I prefer using garlic powder over chopped cloves, but it’s all up to what makes you feel best.

Bacon. MMMmmm, bacon. ‘Nuff said.

Sour Cream. Generally thought of as a topper for baked potatoes, sour cream can make any tater a little more zesty. One caveat to adding things like sour cream is that it melts into the mashed potatoes and too much can make them runny. That’s not very comforting.

Mashed potatoes are perfect for adding almost anything. The flavor of the potatoes themselves are muted by the additions, and it becomes more about how those flavors meld together. It’s like the potatoes are simply the glue that holds it all together.

What are some of your favorite additions to mashed potatoes?

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