Garlic Mashed Deceivers

This little dish is deceiving.  Kind of like my 7 year old.  Isn’t that an awful thing to say about my oldest child?  My precious little baby girl, the one who taught me to be a mother.  The one whose simple breathing held my undivided attention for hours, despite how little sleep I was running on.  Yep, that little black tongued, Pinocchio-nosed, tall telling girl is my beloved daughter.  And now at the ripe old age of 7 (and a half as she is quick to remind) she can whip off a little white lie as easy as if she was petting a puppy.  “Yes Mom, I ate my fruit during lunch.”  “No Mom, I didn’t eat that dark chocolate kiss on the counter.”  “Of course I brushed my teeth this morning.”  This little booger genuinely thinks I arrived on Earth yesterday.  Like I can’t see the chocolate still in the corner of her mouth.  And the worst part of this for me?  I did it to my mom.  With the same smarty tone and the roll of my eyes, I would proclaim the fib with all the boldness I could muster.  As I look down at my little one with her hand on her hip definitely, my only emotion is TERROR.  She is me!  And I have at least 11 more years to go before I don’t have to daily search for the appropriate response, probably longer.  Lord have mercy!

So, what does all this have to do with Garlic Mashed Potatoes?  Well, first of all, there is no doubt when you have them on your plate that they did not come from a pouch of flakes.  There is no denying the origin of this dish.  They came from the real thing; the potato.  And with that knowledge comes the natural assumption that someone spent a good amount of time preparing them.  That is the deceiving part.  Homemade mashed potatoes are so simple to make.  They are easily made ahead of time and heated up just before eating.  You can cook the potatoes ahead and mash just before eating.  Or you can prepare the whole dish and stick in a warm oven for 15 minutes before dinner.  Or you can prepare the whole dish and microwave to the perfect temperature in 5 minutes.  Anyway you choose, they are delicious and “yum” is the ultimate reaction.  So, in the spirit of little fibbers, let them think you slaved. 

Ingredients:

• 4 large baking potatoes
• 4 tbs butter
• 1 tbs garlic powder or 1 clove minced, fresh garlic
• 3/4 cup hot milk
• Handfull of shredded cheddar cheese

Putting It All Together:

1. Place potatoes in dutch oven and cover with water.
2. Boil for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
3. Remove from heat and drain.
4. Allow potatoes to cool completely.
5. Peel skin and discard.
6. Place potatoes in mixing bowl and lightly smush with fork.
7. Add remaining ingredients and beat with mixer on low speed until well combined (the longer you mix, the stiffer they become).
8. Serve immediately with sprinkled shredded cheese on top or;
9. Place potatoes in baking dish, cover and place in warm oven until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

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