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Mashed potatoes with a twist

By J.M. HIRSCH, Associated Press
Published November 19, 2006

If you are tempted to mess with traditional mashed potatoes this Thanksgiving, be certain your tinkering complements the star of the dish, rather than competes with it.

For mild palates, consider manchego smashed potatoes from Every Day With Rachael Ray magazine.

This is your basic mashed potato recipe with the addition of shredded manchego cheese, a mild Spanish cheese that melts well.

If you're hankering for something completely different, try baked potato soup from the www.cookinglight.com Web site.

This hearty, chowderlike soup is comfort food at its best. It won't handle a ladle of gravy, but with a garnish of bacon who needs it?

Prefer to straddle the middle? Try two-potato mash from Cooking Light magazine. This recipe swirls traditional mashed potatoes with mashed sweet potatoes spiked with brown sugar and cinnamon. The result is beautiful and delicious.

Manchego Smashed Potatoes

4 pounds baby red or baby Yukon Gold potatoes, large ones halved (peeled or not, to taste)

Salt

4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup milk or cream

12 ounces manchego cheese, shredded

Freshly ground black pepper

- In a deep pot, cover the potatoes with water. Cover the pot and bring the potatoes to a boil. Uncover the pot, salt the water and cook until tender when pierced with a fork, about 12 to 15 minutes.

- Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add the butter, milk and cheese and smash to desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 8 servings.

Source: "Every Day With Rachael Ray" magazine, November

Baked Potato Soup

4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

6 cups 2 percent reduced-fat milk

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese, divided

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided

6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

- Pierce the potatoes with a fork, then bake for 1 hour, or until tender. Cool the potatoes, then peel them, place them in a medium bowl and coarsely mash them. Set aside.

- Place flour in a large Dutch oven or other large, heavy pot. Gradually add milk, whisking it until the flour is blended.

- Heat the milk mixture over medium heat until thick and bubbly, about 8 minutes. Add the mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup of the cheese, salt and pepper. Heat, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts. Remove from heat.

- Stir in the sour cream and 1/2 cup of onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Do not boil.

- To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle each with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon.

Makes 8 servings.

Source: www.cookinglight.com

Two-Potato Mash

2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 large)

1 cup fat-free sour cream, divided

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup butter, divided

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

22-ounce bag frozen mashed potatoes

2 1/4 cups fat-free milk

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork and arrange on paper towels in a microwave. Microwave on high for 12 minutes, or until tender, rearranging the potatoes after 6 minutes. Let the potatoes stand for 6 minutes.

Peel the potatoes and mash them in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup sour cream, sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt and cinnamon. Stir until blended. Cover with foil to keep warm.

Heat the frozen mashed potatoes in a large microwave-safe bowl according to package directions, omitting any added salt or fat. Add the milk, remaining sour cream, butter, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Spoon the sweet potato mixture over the mashed potatoes, swirling with a spoon. To get a marbling effect, don't blend completely.

Makes 12 servings.

Source: "Cooking Light"

[Last modified November 17, 2006, 09:00:18]