Mashed Potatoes, or...I Didn't Burn Down the Kitchen!
By Jeff Moffitt
@moffittjc (121582)
Gainesville, Florida
July 25, 2020 8:23am CST
Yesterday, I was gifted three large bags of russet potatoes. Anyone that knows me knows I am not a cook. So after receiving the potatoes I sat there thinking "What the heck am I going to do with these things?" and then, "Who can I give these away to?" But then I started thinking, I should at least try to make something with them, so that when asked, I can say I put the potatoes to great use.
Setting out without much confidence in my abilities, I did a quick internet search for a creamy mashed potatoes recipe. I found a good one online, and set out on my first attempt at making homemade mashed potatoes. I wasn't looking forward to the task of peeling the potatoes, but it didn't take as long as I thought. And thankfully, the ingredients and the instructions were quite simple.
When completed, there sat before me an amazing looking large bowl of the creamiest mashed potatoes I had ever seen. I was almost tempted to stop right there, and just marvel at my creation. I was afraid that I would be disappointed when tasting them, but after all the work I put in, I had to give it a try. And you know what? They were absolutely heavenly! Possibly the best mashed potatoes I ever had (second overall to my ex mother-in-law's mashed potatoes).
I called my daughter at work (she's a huge mashed potatoes fan) and told her to come straight home after work to try my mashed potatoes. She told me not to eat it all. I told her not to worry, there was a 5-quart bowl full of them. Did she like them when she got home? Let's just say she almost ate the entire bowl full! I'm so proud of myself! haha
This made me feel a little more confident in the kitchen, and so today I decided to search for what other adventure I can embark on with my potatoes. Today's attempt: homemade crispy french fries. My daughter is going to help me, so if they go wrong I can blame her!
I'm so happy I didn't burn down the kitchen (that's about what I expect every time I try to cook from scratch).
I still have a lot of potatoes left, so if anyone has any great ideas for russet potatoes, please let me know.
41 people like this
37 responses
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
25 Jul 20
Potato salad. Oh, and we are heathens, we leave the peel on as it is nutritious. My "go to" fast food is a microwaved potato, topped with whatever. Chili, cheese, sour cream, meat, barbecue, you name it. It is a good change from sandwiches. Scrub your potato, then slit the skin at least once to prevent explosions. Average size potato, high watt microwave takes 3 minutes. Start with less if you want, but cook them to the point that they give nicely when you squeeze them. Then explore! Experiment!
8 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jul 20
Thank you Heather! I'll give that a try. So I assume russet potatoes taste good as a baked potato?
6 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Jul 20
@Elizaby Does it really? I had no idea.
1 person likes this
@Tampa_girl7 (50250)
• United States
25 Jul 20
Way to go 
I love potatoes any way they’re made.
I love potatoes any way they’re made.7 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jul 20
Well, now that I've got the mashed potatoes down, I'm going to give french fries a try. I don't really know other recipes for potatoes, so any advice would be appreciated. I still have a LOT of potatoes left. Are russet potatoes good for making baked potatoes?
5 people like this
@Tampa_girl7 (50250)
• United States
25 Jul 20
@moffittjc I like them baked. Find a good Au gratin recipe. They are tasty boiled with green beans too or make a Shepherds Pie.
5 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jul 20
@Tampa_girl7 I was definitely thinking about green beans and potatoes. That will be an easy to cook recipe. It's been a while since I've eaten Shepherds Pie, so that is definitely another great recipe idea. I'm not a fan of Au Gratin potatoes, so I may skip that one. Thanks for the suggestions!
5 people like this
@LadyDuck (471506)
• Switzerland
25 Jul 20
So not blame your daughter if you miss your French fries. Those are bit more hard to make than mashed potatoes. Make Swiss rösti, they are delicious. Peel and shred the potatoes, finely cut an onion, heat butter and oil in a Teflon skilled, add the potatoes and onions, mix for a while, then flatten and cover. When one side is browned turn and brown the other side.5 people like this
@LadyDuck (471506)
• Switzerland
25 Jul 20
@moffittjc It's good and you can fry two eggs and put on top of that and it's a delicious breakfast.
5 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jul 20
@LadyDuck Oh yes, and I love eggs!
5 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jul 20
That sounds like a very simple and delicious recipe. I will give it a try! Thanks Anna!
5 people like this
@1creekgirl (41427)
• United States
25 Jul 20
I'm so happy for you that your kitchen is still standing. For mashed potatoes I use peeled potatoes, milk, butter and salt and pepper. Was your recipe different? Russets are the very best for baked potatoes. I make a lot of different things with potatoes, but one of my favorites is similar to JJ"s and Eva James'. I fry sliced potatoes, sliced carrots, onions, and cooked bacon until done, then I top them with sour cream and shredded cheese.
5 people like this
@1creekgirl (41427)
• United States
25 Jul 20
@moffittjc I just remembered...never let your cooked potatoes sit in the water before you mash them. It brings out the glue/starch and they're awful.
5 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jul 20
@1creekgirl I didn't let them soak in water. Because I don't know what I'm doing in the kitchen, I followed the online recipe word for word.
5 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jul 20
Yes, my recipe used the basic ingredients you mentioned. I added a dash of garlic to give it some added flavor.
Sounds like I can do quite a bit of experimenting with the fried potato and onion recipe. Gives me lots of options!
5 people like this
@just4him (317041)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
25 Jul 20
That's great you didn't burn down the kitchen and the mashed potatoes turned out well.
There's American fries, sliced potatoes; potato salad, lots of recipes for that one; hashed browns, also many recipes. You can do a lot with potatoes, even bake them.
It's rare I peel potatoes. The healthiest part of the potato is in the skin.
5 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jul 20
I'm going to try to make potato salad soon. I love potato salad.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jul 20
@just4him I might save the potato salad recipe for Monday or Tuesday. But yes, I'll let everyone know how it turns out!
4 people like this
@just4him (317041)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
25 Jul 20
@moffittjc You'll have to let us know how it turns out.
4 people like this
@CarolDM (203422)
• Nashville, Tennessee
25 Jul 20
Looks like you got a lot of good suggestions here. Next time, ask the community. We all have our opinions! You can do so much with potatoes and I love them any way they are cooked. Potato salad is good beach it will last awhile in the frig.
5 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jul 20
I'll probably make potato salad tomorrow or Monday. The kids finished off the mashed potatoes today, so they both voted for potato salad next after the homemade french fries.
4 people like this
@kareng (59167)
• United States
29 Jul 20
@moffittjc You may end up with a new nickname, Mr. Potatohead! Sorry, I couldn't resist.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jul 20
Thank you! I think with the variety of recipes people are suggesting, I will have many different ways to prepare those potatoes without growing tired of the vegetable. At least that is what I am hoping.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
29 Jul 20
@kareng That thought did cross my mind! haha
2 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jul 20
Oooh...that sounds delicious! I have plenty of cinnamon and honey on hand, I should try that. I'll have to get some breading at the store next time I shop.
4 people like this
@GardenGerty (160665)
• United States
25 Jul 20
@moffittjc Yes, in my opinion russets are good for baked potatoes. Red potatoes tend to be a little "gummy".
5 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jul 20
@GardenGerty Thank you! I loved baked potatoes, so I will definitely give it a try.
2 people like this
@DianneN (247186)
• United States
25 Jul 20
@moffittjc Yes, they and Idaho potatoes are the only ones to use for baked potatoes.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jul 20
I've been able to gather several great recipes from member comments here! And thanks for the congrats. The kids have pretty much devoured all the mashed potatoes that I made, so I know it was a big success.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jul 20
@JudyEv I could, but I think I have enough simple recipe ideas that I can venture out beyond just mashed potatoes.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (340019)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jul 20
@moffittjc I guess you can stick with what you know and make another five quarts of mashed potato.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jul 20
Oh awesome! I'll make sure to check out that recipe. I love potato salad!
4 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jul 20
The kids voted for potato salad too, so that will probably be what I make next after the homemade fries.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
1 Aug 20
@RubyHawk You can't eat potato salad? How come?
2 people like this
@RubyHawk (99405)
• Atlanta, Georgia
31 Jul 20
@moffittjc I love potato salad and I can't eat it. I did cook french fries for Leo today.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jul 20
I wouldn't mind learning how to cook, it's just that I never seem to have the time to spend in the kitchen making meals from scratch. Unless they are simple meals of course.
4 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jul 20
@nela13 I am definitely gaining more confidence in the kitchen!
3 people like this
@nela13 (58669)
• Portugal
26 Jul 20
@moffittjc well from now on you know you can cook and do delicious things.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jul 20
I have come up with quite a good list of meals I can make out of the potatoes I have. So it looks like I will have no problem using up all them bags of potatoes that were given to me.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
25 Jul 20
@aureliah It's great if I don't ruin any of the recipes I cook! haha
5 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (46951)
• India
26 Jul 20
You put up a lot of efforts! You have not shared the pictures. That would have given me a lot of encouragement in trying out such things in kitchen as I too am only a Tea/Coffee/Bread guy in the kitchen.
3 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (46951)
• India
26 Jul 20
@moffittjc Yes at times, we miss taking the pictures. It is ok.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jul 20
I should have taken a picture of the mashed potatoes, but I didn't think about it at the time.
3 people like this
@Torunn (8607)
• Norway
26 Jul 20
@moffittjc I've made mashed potatoes a couple of times, but I've used new potatoes so it didn't mather if the peeling wasn't perfect.
Maybe it's a sign of growing up that peeling potatoes isn't too bad? I might not be that grown-up yet ;-)
2 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Jul 20
@Torunn Well, I've only peeled potatoes just this once, so it didn't seem so bad. But I can tell you I wouldn't want to do this every week!
2 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jul 20
I'm not going to lie, I did not look forward to peeling the potatoes at all. But you know what? It wasn't that bad at all.
4 people like this
@CookieMonster46 (13454)
• United States
25 Jul 20
No fires today...lol
all I can think of is Potato Salad, or you can try making a meatloaf, and have a side of mashed potatoes
3 people like this
@CookieMonster46 (13454)
• United States
27 Jul 20
@moffittjc I would have said baked potatoe, but you mashed them...lol
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Jul 20
@CookieMonster46 I didn't mash all of them, I have plenty more potatoes!
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jul 20
Potato salad is what the kids voted for, so that will be next up on the list.
3 people like this
@lovebuglena (44537)
• Staten Island, New York
27 Jul 20
I love fried potatoes with fried mushrooms and onions. I fry the potatoes in one skillet and mushrooms and onions in the other and when both done just dump contents of one skillet into the other and mix. So good. It's a Russian and Belarusian staple.
Now that you didn't burn the kitchen down does that mean you will be cooking more?
3 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Jul 20
I love mushrooms and onions, so those will both be wonderful ingredients to add to the potatoes. And yes, since I didn't burn the kitchen down, I'm going to experiment more with cooking.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Jul 20
@lovebuglena I definitely will!
2 people like this
@lovebuglena (44537)
• Staten Island, New York
27 Jul 20
@moffittjc You should give this a try.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (178684)
• United States
26 Jul 20
I'm so proud of you for making some yummy mashed potatoes. I love potatoes in any way, shape or form...as long as they don't have any onions in them. You can make potato pancakes, hash browns, escalloped potatoes, french fries (I like the thick steak fries)...so many different ways. You could even make potato gnocchi. Yum! Oh! Baked potatoes with sour cream, bacon bits and chives. (the only way I'll eat "onions")....twice baked potatoes are yummy too.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
26 Jul 20
I thought about hash browns this morning, but never even thought about potato pancakes. I should give that a try too! Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions.
3 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Jul 20
@LindaOHio I gave the fries a try. They didn't turn out too bad, but I know I can do better. It's going to take a little experimenting with the timing in the oven. Overall, I wasn't too disappointed with my first batch.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (178684)
• United States
26 Jul 20
@moffittjc You're welcome! You can make fries in the oven. Spray the pan with PAM or put a light coating of oil and bake.
3 people like this
@dgobucks226 (35608)
•
26 Jul 20
Ok now, lets not get to carried away with your cooking expertise. Emeril might get jealous 
Of course, with your mashed potato success we just might have to nickname you "Spudnick." 
Of course, with your mashed potato success we just might have to nickname you "Spudnick." 3 people like this
@moffittjc (121582)
• Gainesville, Florida
27 Jul 20
I made ONE successful meal. I haven't let it go to my head yet. haha
3 people like this
