Free Recipe Friday: Comfort Food-Mashed Potatoes

After being bombarded this week with the message that the world is going to Hell in a hand-basket, I thought a good, cheap, and easy recipe should be on the menu.

Hang in there, folks. We've seen better, but we've seen worse and the only thing that ultimately matters is what we do with what's put in front of us. You have the choice to make your life whatever you'd like it to be, even when things get tough.

When things get tough, I make mashed potatoes. Potatoes are cheap and mashed potatoes freeze well, so you can buy the 10 lb bag, spend an afternoon cooking a big pot and then be set for a couple of weeks.

Happy Eating!

MASHED POTATOES
- serves 6
- prep time: 10 minutes, relatively unattended
- cooking time: 20-30 minutes

Equipment
* large-ish standard stock pot
* potato masher or large serving fork (if you like your potatoes with lumps)
* hand-held blender (if you like your potatoes smooth)
* large burner/eye on the stove
* large dish for soaking the potatoes
* soup bowl, for reserving your potato water
* small scrub brush (I bought a $.99 fingernail brush that works great)

Ingredients
* 6 medium size baking potatoes (you can use any potato of your choice, but I really like the light, fluffy baked-potato texture)
* 1 stick of unsalted butter (be sure to get unsalted, or you'll have to play around with how much salt you add)
* 3/4 cup of half & half or whole milk (you can substitute 2% or skim, but they won't be quite as rich... which is the whole point of comfort food, right?)
* 2 tsp coarse kosher salt (you can substitute 3 tsp regular table salt, but kosher salt is fairly cheap and tastes SO MUCH BETTER)
* 1 bay leaf
* additional salt and pepper to taste

Basic Summary: soak the potatoes, scrub the potatoes, boil the potatoes, mix in the yummy fattening things and enjoy!

1. Place unwashed potatoes in a large dish and cover potatoes with HOT water. Let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Remove potatoes from dish and scrub them with a brush under running lukewarm water to dislodge any soil from them.

3. Cut the potatoes in half so that each one could fit completely in the palm of one hand. Place into large stockpot. Make sure you have a single layer of potatoes.

4. Cover the potatoes in warm water, making sure to add no more than 1 inch of water above the tops of the potatoes. Add the bay leaf and 2 tsp of coarse kosher salt. Bring water to a rolling boil, stirring the potatoes once or twice only to prevent any sticking. Turn heat down and simmer the potatoes for 15-20 minutes, until they flake (sort of like a baked potato) when you press them with a fork.

5. Remove the potatoes from the eye of the stove. If you've followed the directions, the water in your stockpot should be half-way up the potatoes. Remove the bay leaf and pour the water into a bowl and set to the side. Make sure to drain the potatoes very well.

6. Melt the stick of butter in the microwave (about :30) and pour over the potatoes.

7. Warm the half & half in the microwave (about :45 to 1:00) and add half to the potatoes.

8. Smash the potatoes to the smoothness of your choice, adding additional half and half to loosen up the mixture. You should easily use the rest of the half & half.

9. At this point, your potatoes should still be a little dry and tight. Add the reserved potato water one tablespoon at a time until they are the way you like them.

10. Add salt and pepper... or cheese... or red onion ... or bacon ... you get the picture.

You'll have potato water left over. Save it and add it when you're making soup. The potatoes have made the water starchy which is perfect for thickening up sauces or soups.

Enjoy!

Free Recipe Friday: Pasta in Herbed Garlic Butter

This week, I'll share one of my favorite recipes. It's so easy to make, but so easy to screw up if you don't know what you're doing. It's also cheap and incredibly satisfying. It's vegetarian, but is the perfect recipe for infinite experimentation, so break out your inner MacGyver and have fun.

You'll also notice that my recipes are VERY detailed. I do this because most every recipe I've ever followed leaves out steps that are integral to the process, small things I've had to learn through experimentation. Consider it my special gift to you.

Happy Eating!

PASTA IN HERBED GARLIC BUTTER
- serves 2
- prep time: 3 minutes
-- cooking time: 8-12 minutes

Equipment

• medium saute/frying pan
• Saucepan large enough to boil pasta
• medium whisk or large dinner fork
• large burner/eye on the stove
• garlic press or microplane grater

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil (since you're cooking with it, you don't have to use Extra Virgin)
• 6 oz of dried pasta (I use Angel Hair because it cooks the most quickly)
  
• one clove of garlic (DO NOT substitute garlic powder, garlic salt or even minced garlic that comes in the jar pre-prepared; trust me on this one)
• 2 tsp salt for cooking pasta
• Herbs of Your Choice: 1 tsp dried or 1 Tbsp fresh, as a general guide
  
• salt & pepper, to taste

Basic Summary: Start the pasta, melt the butter, saute the garlic, drain the pasta, throw the pasta in the butter and garlic, laugh because it was so incredibly easy, eat and enjoy.

1. Fill your sauce pan with water and add 2 tsp salt. Cook pasta almost according to package directions, removing it from heat 2-3 minutes before the package says it's ready. Since your pasta will need time to cook, start it and complete the rest of the recipe while it's cooking. DO NOT put oil in the pasta pot. DO NOT rinse your pasta. I'll be happy to explain why once I get into your kitchen and show you.
2. While your pasta is cooking, heat your saute pan over medium heat on a large eye of the stove. Add 1 Tbsp butter and olive oil to pan.
3. Peel garlic. For garlic prep techniques, hire me and I'll show you how.
4. As the butter and olive oil heat in the pan, you'll see them change. There will be a point when the butter begins to separate into a yellowish liquid and whitish solids.
5. At this point, your pasta should be ready to drain. Simple pour it into a collander/strainer and leave it alone. Again, DO NOT rinse your pasta.
6. When you see the butter separating, grate your garlic into the pan as quickly as you can. Be sure to get every drop of garlic from the backside of the grater. You'll hear it sizzle a little and smell really strong.
7. Immediately begin stirring the garlic with a whisk or a dinner fork. Your main objective is to cook the garlic to a light golden color. It happens very quickly (1-2 mintues), so DO NOT leave the pan unattended for any reason. If it starts to brown at all, remove the pan from heat and turn temperature down. Return the pan, but watch to make sure it doesn't happen again.
8. Once the garlic starts turning golden, add the last 1 Tbsp of butter and let it melt for about one minute. If you are using dried herbs, add them now.
9. Reduce heat to low and add your pasta to the saute pan and fold into the garlic butter. The pasta will be a little sticky, but the garlic butter will quickly fix that. If you are using fresh herbs, add them now.
10. Turn off the heat and let the pasta sit covered for 3-5 minutes. Salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve and enjoy!