Smashed Potatoes

Smashed Potatoes and Roasted Green Beans

You really didn’t need a recipe for this, did you? No, I didn’t think so. Here it is anyway, so nobody forgets the most basic way to enjoy potatoes.

Smashed Potatoes

12 small new potatoes, preferably red-skinned
1 or 2 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
2 tsp butter
1/4 cup milk (or so)

Wash the potatoes and cut them each into 2 or 3 pieces, so the pieces are all roughly the same size. Throw them in a pot with the garlic and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 to 15 minutes; they’re done when a fork goes into them easily. Drain them, then put them back in the pot over low heat for a minute while you add the butter and milk. Mash roughly. You do know you can get a plastic potato masher to avoid scratching your non-stick pots, right?

Serves 2 for about 110 calories and 3 Weight Watchers points.  To be more accurate, since your potatoes  might be bigger or smaller than mine, measure out the final product (each 1/4 cup is 1 point) and then add a point for the butter.

When using full-size winter potatoes, and serving company, I often add cheese to the mashed potatoes; some sharp old cheddar, goat cheese, or grated parmesan all go well.  I discovered the secret to restaurant mashed potatoes when I took a cooking course once; it’s fat.  In the case of the ones we made, rendered marrow and heavy cream.  I’m not likely to do that at home!