Utterly Delicious Mashed Potatoes

Original Date November 28, 2021 Revised Date November 23, 2022

These mashed potatoes are not skinny by any means. These are the indulgent mashed potatoes that I’m always asked to bring to family gatherings or put on the table when friends come over for a down home dinner. These are buttery….yes, there’s 3sticks of butter in there….I did say these were indulgent. These heavenly mashed potatoes are a little creamy with just a few tiny chunks of potato throughout to satisfy those who love a few lumps or two in their mash. These are indeed mashed, but then they are whipped to result in that perfect texture.

Growing up my mom and my grandmother made mashed potatoes from scratch, but they not only mashed them, they would pull out the hand mixer. They would mix together all of those wonderful, indulgent ingredients until everything was just right. Back then I thought that’s how everyone made “mashed” potatoes. It wasn’t until much later that I learned about instant potatoes. I’m not knocking instant potatoes in any way. I myself have made them and there are some pretty tasty ones out there. But there is something comforting about the process of making them from scratch, not to mention the taste. It always makes me think of my mom and my grandmother in the kitchen. It’s one of my favorite side dishes, ok not just as a side. I could grab a spoon and a bowl full and I’d be happy with that as my main meal.

Because they are so indulgent, and yes a little more time consuming, I don’t make them as often and, well, because my hubby is not a mashed potato lover. I still shake my head in wonderment as to how someone can not like mashed potatoes? That being said, with Thanksgiving only a few days away and the holidays nearing, I will be making and eating my share of these. I better get out my stretchy pants. So with spoon or fork in hand…which ever you prefer…. here is how you can make these utterly delicious mashed potatoes to add to your holiday dishes or for just a get together with family and friends.

On a side note, I know when I mention pulling out the hand mixer for the potatoes, some will gasp and some might be a tad appalled. It is true, if you over mix them, they will turn rather glutenous, but I promise, if you take care these will be a winner for you as well.

*4 lb or more potatoes; peeled and cut into cubes. I like to use russet but Yukon gold are good as well.

*1 Tbsp. salt for the cooking water + more to taste in the potatoes

*pepper to taste

*3 sticks of good quality butter or more to taste

*1 to 2 cups evaporated milk or half and half, warmed; I start out with a cup and add more if needed

*fresh or dried parsley

Place the potatoes in a large pot.

Fill with water until the potatoes are covered and add the 1 Tbsp. of salt.

Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender.

Drain well.

I learned the hard way that if they are not drained of all the cooking water, you do not get a nice consistency in the end.

On a side note, no, there is nothing wrong with your eyes, the potatoes were still steaming when I dumped them into the colander and kept steaming up the camera.

Place the potatoes into a large, mixer proof bowl and add salt and pepper.

Add in some of the butter and with a potato masher, begin mashing the potatoes.

Slowly add in some of the milk about 1/4 of a cup and continue mashing until most of the larger chunks are broken down.

With a hand mixer set on one of the lower speeds, begin to incorporate the butter and the milk.

Start adding in more butter, salt and pepper. Slowly add in more milk until you get the texture that you want. Do not pour in all of the milk at once or you may end up with potato soup. Yes, I have done that as well. Keep tasting and adding more butter, salt and pepper until the taste is to your liking. Sprinkle in the parsley and mix just enough to blend it into the potatoes. Be careful not to over mix. Once you reach the desired texture, I bring out the wooden spoon to stir in more butter, salt or pepper if needed.

Serve warm and Enjoy!

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Double Cheese Linguica Burgers

My hubby loves linguica. It’s pretty hard to find down here where we live, but when he found some in the Boston area where he used to live, and the company ships it….well let’s just say we now have a mini freezer full of his scored bounty. What is linguica? I’m glad you asked. It’s a Portuguese sausage. It’s made from pork butt (which is actually a cut taken from the pig’s shoulder not the down under side) seasoned with paprika, garlic, pepper and cumin. It’s then brined, stuffed into casings then smoked. It has a mild, spicy flavor. It is quite good I can assure you.

For this burger I used ground linguica mixed with beef. This is definitely for a cheat day, but it’s oh so worth it. The double patties are so juicy and flavorful with the spices and hint of smokiness from the linguica. Then there is the cheese. All that gooey, cheesy goodness between those delicious patties and covers the top like a warm cheesy blanket.

I know in the picture above the burger looks to be on the rare side, but it’s the color of the linguica. So no stomach rolling there. If you happen to score some as well, you can not go wrong with this burger topped with cheese and all of your favorite burger condiments. Let your imagination go a little wild and savor this not so ordinary burger.

Here’s what you need:

*sturdy hamburger buns

*sliced cheese; I used white American

*Your favorite hamburger toppings

For The Burger:

*1 LB. ground linguica

*1 LB. ground beef

*1 TBS. Worcestershire sauce

*2 tsp. onion powder

*2 tsp. garlic powder

*1/2 tsp. salt

*cracked pepper

In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients for the burger

mix well.

Form into patties. These are going to be 2 patties per burger so form to desired thickness.

Heat a large cast iron skillet to medium high heat. Place the patties into the hot skillet.

It’s ok if you can’t fit all of the patties in the skillet at once. You can cook these in batches.

Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes then flip them over and cook for another 3 minutes.

Cover each patty with cheese.

Cover the skillet and cook until the cheese is melted.

Place one of the patties on the bottom half of the bun, then top with another. Top with your desired hamburger toppings and serve.

Enjoy!

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Slow Cooker Chili

Original Date: December,21 2020 Revised Date: November 11, 2022

Now that the weather is starting to turn cooler here in the South, well, on the days when the temps are not climbing into the high 70’s, it’s time for some hearty comfort food. This slow cooker chili is just that. It’s meaty and satisfying with a nice kick of spice, but not too spicy….unless you want it to be. You can throw it together and let it cook for hours and have a nice dinner everyone will love. It’s even better the next day.

The hardest part, and it really isn’t that hard, is browning the beef. The other hard part is trying not to lift the lid on the slow cooker to take a few bites. The wonderful smell wafting through the house for several hours makes it so tempting. This is one of those dishes my hubby asks for during the fall and winter months so I do tend to make this a lot. It also makes a great meal when you have friends and family over. I will admit, when I was a kid I hated beans in the chili. I would try to leave all of the beans behind and just score all of the other tasty stuff. Of course my mom and dad wasn’t too pleased with being left with mostly beans and a few morsels of beef and tomatoes. I can proudly say that when I got older I learned to savor this comforting dish, beans and all.

So pull out your slow cooker and get ready to fill your home with the mouthwatering smell of simmering chili.

Here’s what you need:

*1 lb ground beef

*1 small onion, chopped

*3 garlic cloves, minced

*1 1/2 TBS chili powder, or more to taste

*2 tsp. Chipotle powder, or more to taste

*1 tsp. salt

*2 tsp. garlic powder

*2 tsp. onion powder

*2 tsp. cumin

*2 tsp. coriander

*2 tsp. paprika

*2 tsp. dried Thyme

*1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

*2 tsp. beef stock base; I used Better than Bullion Beef base

*1 bay leaf

*2 cans of light kidney beans, drained

*2 cans diced tomatoes with juices

*1 15oz. can tomato sauce

*shredded cheese for topping (optional)

Heat a large pan over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and brown; drain if needed. Turn down the heat to medium and add all of the herbs and spices (chili powder thru the beef stock).

Mix well and cook for 1 minute, add any more herbs or spices if needed. Spoon in to the slow cooker.

Add in the onions and garlic.

Add in the beans, tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Mix all of the ingredients together and then add in the bay leaf.

Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.

Remove the bay leaf and serve with some nice crusty bread and top with cheese if desired.

Enjoy!

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Air Fryer Meatballs

Air fryer meatballs are crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. These cook just as well as frying them in a skillet, but with less mess and you don’t have to stand over a hot stove. These are great for meatball subs, spaghetti or even turning them into appetizers.

This is the same recipe that I have used for years. I do at times mix pork and ground beef, but in many cases I just stick with using all ground beef. I think everyone has their own favorite recipe, whether it’s been passed down from family to family, it’s a type of dish that can hold fond memories of growing up. For me, it’s my mom’s Swedish meatballs (sorry IKEA my mom has yours beat hands down). I have tweaked her meatballs over the years, but the memory of standing in the kitchen watching her roll them out always makes me smile.

Feel free to tweak these a bit to make them your own as well. All you have to do is throw them into the air fryer, shake them up a bit during cooking time and your on your way to making something delicious.

Here’s what you need:

For The Onion Mixture:

*1 small onion chopped

*pinch of salt

*1/2 tsp. dried sage

*olive oil

*1/2 TBS butter

For The Meatballs:

*2 lbs ground beef or 1 lbs. ground beef +1 lbs. ground pork

*2 garlic cloves grated

*1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

*1 TBS. Worcestershire sauce

*1 tsp dried Oregano

*1/2 tsp dried Thyme or more to taste

*1/2 tsp. salt

*cracked black pepper to taste

*1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

*1 TBS. dried parsley

*onion mixture

*1 egg

For the onions:

In a small sauce pan over medium high heat, add all of the ingredients and stir to combine. Cook for about 3 minutes then turn the heat down to medium.

Cook for about 10 minutes or until the onions are soft, stirring occasionally; set aside and cool.

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the meatballs.

This is the fun part where you get to play with your food. Mix all of the ingredients together, I find that using my hands work better.

So get on in there, but don’t over mix or the meatballs will come out tough.

Scoop out some of the meat mixture and roll into balls.

Preheat the air fryer to 400°.

Place the meatballs in the basket in an even layer.

Cook for 5 minutes, then shake the basket so the meatballs do not stick. Cook for another 5 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through.

*Note*

Cooking time might vary depending on the brand and size of the air fryer.

Serve as is or use them like we did to make meatball subs.

Any way you chose to eat them, Enjoy!

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