Ok guys, I might be going down in the history books for this one.  And it actually all started with me disliking, no hating, no LOATHING to do something.  Mashed potatoes.  Delicious? Yes!  But really though, is there anyone in this world who actually enjoys peeling those stinkin’ potatoes?! EXACTLY!  No one wants to do that, not even this girl and I’m a personal chef! It has gotten to point where I have debated removing mashed potatoes from my menus, because THAT’S how much I hate preparing them! It also doesn’t help that they do nothing for me – I know, call me cray-cray (I know you already do! LOL), but if I never saw a potato again I would be fine (except sweet potatoes – now that’s a different story!)

Well, loathe no more! I have figured out a way for mashed potato makin’ to be easy! And in my book, easy means enjoyable.  Here is my tried and true new method for making mashed potatoes: Put whole potatoes (that’s right, skins and all) in a pot of water and bring to a boil.  When fork tender (about 25 minutes for 3 lbs.), drain and let them cool for about 10 minutes so you can handle them – we aren’t playing Hot Potato here!  Here’s the magical part…now you peel the skins right off with your hands!!! That’s right the skins will slip right off those babies! The potatoes will still be quite hot after only 10 minutes of cooling so run them under cold water to handle. Now, here is your warning: under NO condition allow the potatoes to sit until completely cool to handle and peel!  At that point, the skins adhere back onto the potatoes and are difficult to remove, and then if you run them under water to help remove the skins, the potatoes absorb the water, which in turn results in rubbery mashed potatoes! HORRORS!

Put them back into the pot or a bowl and the rest is up to you and your preference.  Some people use a masher, others an electric mixer.  You can add sour cream, milk, butter, garlic, horseradish, chives, cheddar, bacon…the possibilities are endless!

To reheat:  For best results, plate individually and heat in the microwave at 50% power for two minutes, check and stir, and continue heating in 30-second intervals until hot enough to enjoy.  You can also heat the entire serving on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring constantly to avoid burning and sticking to the pot, until warmed through.

Note: if the mash becomes too thick, and starts to stick to the pot, just add a little milk/water/chicken broth until mash reaches desired consistency.