Russet Garlic Mashed Potatoes prepped and ready to be re-heated

Potato Variations! Check out my 411 on Mashed Potatoes before you start for making the perfect mashed potatoes without the nightmare of lumpy cold potatoes! Here are my base “healthy-ish” mashed potatoes with a few flavor variations. Note that the cheesy one is really not-so-healthy.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes
This recipe is fantastic for your standard anytime mashed potato. They can be beaten with a mixer for a more refined potato or left chunky for a good ol’ hearty one. 

Ingredients:
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces – use Yukon Gold for chunkier potatoes and Russets for pureed potatoes
1 tbs butter
1 tbs minced garlic
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Add potatoes to a pot of salted, cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and let sit for approximately 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain water and set potatoes aside in a separate bowl. Place the pot back on the simmering stove. Add butter and garlic, lightly sauteing until garlic becomes fragrant. Add potatoes to the pot and use a potato masher (for chunkier Yukon Golds) or a hand mixer (for pureed Russets) to begin breaking down. Add yogurt, olive oil and salt & pepper to taste and mash until you have the flavors and texture you love!

Cheesy Chunky Mashed Potatoes
This recipe is dedicated to my lovely friend, Katie, who inspired this recipe the day before Thanksgiving. Her recipe is based on making mashed potatoes and then adding more cheese. Then adding more cheese. Then adding more cheese and eating them while Erica isn’t looking and then eating more. So I made more the next morning. True story.

Ingredients:
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tbs butter
1/2 cup grated shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated white cheddar
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Add potatoes to a pot of salted, cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and let sit for approximately 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain water and set potatoes aside in a separate bowl. Place the pot back on the simmering stove. Add butter and garlic, lightly sauteing until garlic becomes fragrant. Add potatoes to the pot and use a potato masher to begin breaking down. Add yogurt, olive oil and salt & pepper to taste and mash until you have the flavors and texture you love!

Rosemary Pureed Potatoes
This version yields delicate, silky mashed potatoes that is best served with delicate meats. I find this best with lamb, coq a vin, or short ribs that have a delicate, wine-based sauce. The meat can be arranged on top of the mashed potatoes for a super pretty presentation.

Ingredients:
2 lbs Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup milk
1 sprig rosemary
1 tbs butter
1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
1 tbs olive oil
Salt & Pepper

Add potatoes to a pot of salted, cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and let sit for approximately 15 minutes or until fork-tender. During this time and in a separate pot, simmer milk and rosemary sprig for 5 minutes. Remove sprig and turn off heat. Drain potatoes and place in a Kitchen Aid mixer with beater attachment. Add butter, Greek Yogurt, olive oil and beat on medium. Slowly add rosemary milk until you reach the desired texture. Add S&P to taste.

Hope you enjoy the potato/potahtoe variations. I encourage you to try out your own variations and post your results!