Loaded Smashed Red Potatoes

I love potatoes or anything else that is a carbohydrate , but I try not to fix mashed potatoes too much because I like them loaded with all the fixings.  My kids wonder what holiday we are celebrating when I make mashed potatoes, that’s how often we have them. I have made these smashed loaded red potatoes 2 weeks in a row, the family is perplexed but asks no questions… wondering what they did right ha, ha.

Some of you may be asking the question can I use brown potatoes? Of course, I just like red potatoes.  They have a little different texture than the average brown potato, and I like that they have more sweetness and moisture to them. Something I learned about making mashed potatoes is all the ingredients you add to the hot potatoes should be warm, everything combines much better that way, makes sense to me. I make this potato dish chunky and with some skin on them, if you don’t like the skin and want the potatoes to be lump free go ahead and make them smooth.  I used light sour cream and skim milk in this recipe because that is what I normally buy which is a plus in the fat and calorie department.  If you make them with whole milk or  half and half, that would be even better, just use what you have.  Don’t skimp on the cheese and bacon they really make this dish full of all kinds of deliciousness.

Ingredients:
6 red potatoes
1/4 cup butter (half a stick)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup of milk
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 thick slices of bacon cooked and chopped
1 garlic clove pressed or minced (optional)
1 tsp salt
pepper to taste
measured ingredients may vary depending on the size of your potatoes, so take that into account.

Directions:
Step 1: Partially peel the potatoes and wash them, put them in a large pot, fill with water to cover the potatoes and turn on heat to medium high and let cook until tender (a knife should slide through easily when done). Drain water from potatoes or scoop out the whole potatoes and transfer to a different bowl.
Step 2:  Take a knife and run it through the potatoes to break them up. Heat milk and sour cream until warm, melt butter, if using garlic put it in when melting butter so it cooks a little, and add to the milk and sour cream.
Step 3: Add milk, butter and sour cream to potatoes, with a hand mixer or stand mixer beat on low until the wet ingredients gets incorporated.
Step 4: Add salt, pepper and cheese, (reserve some for the top if desired) mix together by hand or if too chunky for your taste with the mixer until incorporated.
Step 5: Transfer potatoes to serving dish and sprinkle cheese and bacon on top, if you like chives or green onions they go great on top too.
Serves: 6-8

Tagged as: side dish