MASHED POTATOES

Ingredients:

3 medium baking potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic (optional)
whole milk, start with 1 Tablespoon, at room temperature or warmed
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, cook the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan.

Add the butter, sour cream and garlic. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or the back of a fork until the ingredients are blended. Add the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the potatoes are the desired consistency. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed.

Servings: 2 to 3 servings
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 20 min
Difficulty: Easy

BAKED POTATOES

Ingredients:

1 large Idaho potato per person, plus a few extras
vegetable oil
kosher salt
butter
sour cream
grated Cheddar cheese
bacon, fried crisp, drained and crumbled

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Scrub the potatoes and pat dry. Rub the skin with vegetable oil. Sprinkle with salt. Pierce the skin of the potato in several places with the tines of a fork. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the sides are soft when pressed.

Place in a chafing dish and serve with bowls of butter, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and crumbled friend bacon for toppings

Prep Time - 10 minutes
Cook Time - 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield - 1 serving per potatoe
Difficulty - Easy

Servings:
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 min
Difficulty:

NEW RED POTATOES IN CREAM SAUCE

We used to go to the garden with MeMa at sunrise while the dew was still on the plants and gather fresh vegetables. We picked butter beans, peas, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and dug new potatoes.

MeMa would give us a fork to poke into the ground underneath the potato plants until we located a potato. We would then use a spoon and extract it from the ground.

After the potatoes were washed, MeMa took a spoon or knife and scraped away the tender skin. They were then placed into a pot of salted water and boiled gently until done but firm. She then added black pepper, milk and slurry paste of water and flour (or corn starch) and fresh country butter. Once the liquid became a creamy sauce, it was ready to serve.

POTATO SALAD

Ingredients:

5 medium potatoes
6 hard-cooked eggs, cooled and peeled
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 cup chopped sweet pickles or sweet relish
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup mayonnaise (or to taste)
1 stalk celery, strings removed, finely chopped (optional)
A few dashes celery salt
3 tablespoons of Durkee's Sauce (optional)
Small jar pimientos (optional)
Paprika

Directions:

Peel potatoes, cut into cubes about 1 inch square. Boil in salted water until cooked but firm. Drain in colander.

OR

Cook potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Refrigerate until cool; peel, chop into cubes.

Chop or grate 5 eggs; reserve 1 egg for garnish.

Combine all ingredients in large bowl, except reserved egg and paprika. Quarter or slice reserved egg; garnish top of salad. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve warm, in the German style or chill and serve cold.

Makes: 7 servings