It's a Tough Job, But Somebody Has to Do It!

So many pies, so little time...

I received the emailed invitation more than a month ago, asking me if I would like to judge a pie contest at Upper Providence Elementary School.  Duh!  (Which was exactly my reply.)  Who wouldn’t want to judge a pie contest?  It was a no-brainer!

During the week leading up to Thanksgiving, Spring-Ford’s children are home on Thanksgiving break, but not the teachers.  In-service days and parent-teacher conferences fill those days (and nights) leading up to the staff having off on just Thursday and Friday.

This year, as a team-building/staff spirit event, principal Melissa Patschke organized a pie contest.  Staff members baked pies at home and entered them in a “best pie” contest.  There were three categories:  Fruit, Cream or Custard, and “Other.”  Staff members selected the category for their pie and provided the name.  The judging team was comprised of newly appointed assistant superintendent, Allyn Roche; director of curriculum and instruction, Johnna Weller; RCTV director and producer, Steve Bonetz; and myself.

Steve Bonetz "forces" a smile for the camera

The judging was a difficult task.  We struggled, (sometimes needing multiple tastes), to determine scores in four different areas.  These included appearance and of course, taste.  There was a completely homemade pumpkin pie, which was very impressive, however, it was entered in the “other” category, even though any baker’s son knows that pumpkin is a custard pie.  There were no entries in the cream or custard category, so this pie would have been a shoe-in as the first place winner in that category.  Kim Curcio, you not only could have been a contender, but a winner!

In the fruit category, there were two pies:  a lattice crust apple pie and a very interesting apple with vanilla bean butter pie.  Even though both were superb pies, the craftsmanship on the lattice crust of the Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Pie made it the clear winner, not only of the fruit category, but of the best pie in the contest.  Congratulations to Emily McGranahan, who is a strings teacher.  That pie made the judges sing!

Runner-up Peanut Butter Silk Pie by Debbie Mohr-Kehs

And then there was the “other" category.  It was comprised of a mix of eight very eclectic pies.  There was a cherry cream pie, a chocolate-coconut pie, pumpkin chiffon, and a chocolate-pecan pie.  And then there were the peanut butter pies…and two of them.  Eating both of those pies was as close to a religious experience as one can get eating food.  Oh my.  Our taste buds woke up and took notice.  Those pies caused the judges to stop and truly savor the flavor.

So the judging became challenging, and I have to admit, a little stressful.  We made our decision based on just a slightly more intense peanut butter flavor.  Congratulations and thanks to the winner, secretary Betsy Mastrocola, for providing the recipe.  You’re going to love this pie!

PEANUT BUTTER PIE

The Winner!  Peanut Butter Pie by Betsy Mastracola

 Ingredients:

3 ounces cream cheese

1 cup confectioners' sugar

½ cup peanut butter

¼ cup evaporated milk

1½ cups Cool Whip

8 inches graham cracker crust

¹/₃ cup peanuts chopped

Directions:

Whip the cream cheese until fluffy, then beat in the sugar and peanut butter.

Slowly add the milk, blending well.

Fold the Cool Whip into the cream cheese mixture and spoon this into the pie crust.

Sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

Betsy’s note:  “I chilled pie overnight (before adding the chopped peanuts) and added chocolate magic shell before I sprinkled with chopped peanuts and served.”

It had to be that chocolate shell that gave her the edge!  Congratulations, Betsy, as well as to all staff members who entered the contest, (see complete list below).  Thanks to Dr. Patschke for organizing the pie contest, and most of all…thanks for asking me to be one of the judges!  Any time!

Oh, and if you’re ever having a pie contest, and you need a judge….


The entries:
Cherry "Ohhh!"Cream Cheese Pie - Missie Patschke
Peanut Butter Pie - Betsy Mastrocola
Crisp Coconut & Chocolate Pie - Carol Mays
Pumpkin Chiffon with Gingersnap Pecan Crust - Liz Genther
Chocolate Pecan Pie - Reesa Wurtz
Pennsylvania Dutch Apple Pie - Emily McGranahan
Apple with Vanilla Bean Butter - Dan Currie
Real Homemade Pumpkin Pie - Kim Curcio
Peanut Butter Silk Pie - Debbie Mohr-Kehs

A Thanksgiving Disaster & Mom's Potato Filling

Anyone who is unacquainted with the kitchen would certainly not start with roasting a turkey, would they?  Probably not, but when I was newly married, my mother-in-law had a heart episode and was not only unable to cook, she also was  unable to travel, even to a restaurant.  It fell on us to create a large part of the Thanksgiving meal.  We had never prepared, roasted or carved the traditional bird.   With much prompting and moral support from my mother and father, we bravely embarked on this new adventure.  “Bobbie the Babysitter” was summoned to occupy Matthew while we sliced, diced, sautéed, and roasted.

To make a long story short, the perfectly browned bird was being transported over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house, when a stop sign jumped out of nowhere.  I had ironically taken unfamiliar back roads to “keep the turkey safe.”  I slammed on the brakes and the turkey simply leaped out of the roasting pan.  The resulting steam from the piping-hot fowl caused every window, (including the front windshield) to instantaneously fog up.  The atmosphere inside the car became so thick with the heavy aroma, our dog Skippy, began to lick the air.  He was immediately motivated to get into the back of the car and had to be restrained.  We never told the guests of the “extra curricular” ride of that turkey, but on occasional hot summer days, my Corolla hatchback would still smell like Thanksgiving.

Photo credit:  Lauren "Bean" Whitty

TURKEY BREAST

If you want to brave roasting a whole turkey, the directions follow, but why not start with a turkey breast?  I know…I know, no dark meat, but most people prefer white, right?  If you buy one that is not seasoned in any way, and most are only injected with brine, place the breast in a suitable foil roasting pan, (no clean-up!), and place the foil pan on a sturdy cookie sheet or other flat tray that can go in the oven.  (This is really important, as anyone who has tried to slide a foil pan on an oven rack can attest.)  Put a 14-15 oz. can of chicken broth in with the breast, and season the top with Kosher or sea salt, ground pepper, and poultry seasoning.  Roast according to the timetable provided on the packaging.  Use a meat thermometer to determine doneness, if you have one.

WHOLE ROAST TURKEY

As you get braver and begin to flex your culinary muscles, consider an entire turkey.  First, if you buy a frozen bird allow sufficient time for it to thaw.  Always thaw inside a refrigerator and allow 3-5 days for the bird to thaw completely.  Clean the two cavities, making sure the neck and the giblets (usually in a separate bag) are removed.  You can use these to make gravy, if you so desire.  Brine the turkey by using the ratios below.  Brining overnight increases the moistness of the roast turkey and enhances the flavor.

Turkey Brine Solution:

1 gallon water

1 cup Kosher salt

2/3 cup sugar

To prepare the bird for roasting, remove it from the brining solution and drain.  Place the bird, breast side up in your roasting pan.  Pat it dry with paper towels.  I do not place stuffing in the turkey.  Frankly, I’ve been scared off by all of the warnings about bacteria, the filling hampering the thorough cooking of the turkey, etc.  Instead, salt the cavities and sprinkle some pepper in them, as well.  Insert large pieces of raw onion and celery.  Using a paper towel, apply a coating of cooking oil to the exterior of the turkey, coating breast, legs and wings.  Sprinkle salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning on all areas coated by oil.  Put one or two cans of chicken stock in the pan and roast following the recommended times on the packaging.  As the different parts of the turkey brown, cover them with foil to prevent over-browning and dryness.  I highly recommend using a meat thermometer to check for doneness.  An internal temperature of 180° is usually recommended for a whole turkey.  Always allow the roasted turkey to “rest” for 45 minutes to an hour before carving.  You will be rewarded for your patience with much moister meat.

MOM'S POTATO FILLING

(Click on any image to enlarge it)

One of the benefits of volunteering to cook that first Thanksgiving meal was obtaining my mother’s potato filling recipe.  When I initially asked her, she said she didn’t have a recipe, and “just made it.”  Together, we “walked” through the process, while I had pen in hand.  Family members, and a lot of other people over the years, have been glad to have it in writing.  If you have a favorite dish made by a family member, get the recipe now.  Better yet, watch while it’s being made.  You’ll be grateful that you did!

Ingredients:

4-6 large potatoes  (Butter & milk to make mashed potatoes)

¼ lb. butter

Med. to large onion

Celery

Large loaf of white bread (denser bread that is not fresh works best)

Fresh parsley

3-5 eggs

Salt and pepper

Directions:

Make mashed potatoes in the usual way with butter & milk using the equivalent of about 4-6 large potatoes.  Directions can be found in the Shepherd’s Pie blog post; click here.  (Save the hot water from boiling the potatoes.)

In 1/4 lb. of butter, sauté a diced medium to large onion and about a cup of diced celery, including the celery leaves.  Set aside.

Cut up one large loaf of white bread into 1/2” cubes, and put in a very large pot or mixing bowl.

Add enough very hot water (from the potatoes) to make the bread moist, but not too “sloppy.”  (Do NOT add all of the water left over from boiling the potatoes.  One person did that and got wallpaper paste instead of potato filling!)

As you add each ingredient, stir to partially incorporate it.  Next, add 3-5 eggs.

Add lots of parsley (about one cup of fresh cut), 1-2 teaspoons of salt and lots of pepper, (approximately ¾ teaspoon).

Stir in the mashed potatoes and the sautéed onion and celery.

Put in a buttered casserole and bake at 350 degrees for an hour or longer.

Thanksgiving isn't over until the dog says it's over!

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving!

Take the Chill Out with Hearty Chili

Happy Birthday, Aunt Rose Ella!  Today is the birthday of one of my all-time favorite aunts and people, my mom’s sister, Rose Ella Kugler Latshaw.

It was on Aunt Rose Ella’s front porch that I enjoyed that very best sandwich ever in the whole wide world:  whole wheat stone ground bread, mayo, a slice of cheese, onion, and still-warm tomatoes fresh out of the garden.  It was Aunt Rose Ella who introduced me to applesauce making, although I’ve never achieved a texture as fine as hers.  And it was Aunt Rose Ella who introduced the entire Parker Ford area to “Pink Salad,” (Also known as Pink Fluff.)

The story of Pink Fluff is a classic tale of why church ladies don’t share their recipes.  I’m not sure how Aunt Rose Ella discovered it, but the first time she made it, it was a H-U-G-E hit.  So much so, that multiple requests were made for the recipe.  Aunt Rose Ella complied and on the occasion of the next covered dish dinner at the church…you guessed it.  There were six different bowls of Pink Fluff!  Aunt Rose Ella did not lose heart, and she has continued to make it for every carry-in and every family get-together since.  No one ever has to ask, “Who made the Pink Salad?”

The Kugler Sisters:  left to right; Alice, Gladys (my mother), Rose Ella, and Frankie

Aunt Rose Ella is an amazing encourager.  It is doubtful that I would have ever come out of my shell as a child if it weren’t for people like her.  She was a big part of encouraging me to go into the ministry.  She continues to encourage everyone as they use their gifts, and she has been there almost every Tuesday night during the Alpha Course, encouraging those of us who are preparing the meals.

She was there this past week as we served up a truckload of chili.  Wow!  10 pounds of ground beef, 12 cans of beans, 6 cans of diced tomatoes, and a huge can (96 oz.) of crushed tomatoes.  And then there were the fresh vegetables:  onions, celery, and green pepper.  Thank goodness I got a food processor for my birthday!  It really came in handy.  In addition to using it for the chili, I grated two and a half heads of cabbage and 2 pounds of carrots for some of Alpha’s “Everlasting Slaw,” (recipe follows, below).  We also served some homemade Alpha cornbread, (two recipes follow).  It was a banner week, and I think I’m in love with my food processor!

"Babysitting" the chili.  There's another pan on the rack below.

This week’s chili recipe is reduced to easily serve 8-10 people.  If you want to serve more, just double or triple it.  It’s very mild, but is quickly “heated up” with a little Tabasco or other favorite hot sauce.

HEARTY CHILI

Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs. lean ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 stalks celery, chopped

2 green peppers, chopped

1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans

1 can (15 oz.) black beans

1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 can (15 oz.) crushed tomatoes

1¼ teaspoon dried oregano

1¼ teaspoon cumin

2 Tablespoons chili powder

2 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes

1¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Brown the ground beef with the minced garlic.  (You can add the chopped onions to the raw ground beef and cook them together if you like.)  Drain excess fat and remove to a large pot.  Sauté the celery, onion, and green pepper in a little olive oil, until they begin to get tender.  The celery will take longer, so start sautéing that while you prepare the onions and green pepper.  If things starts to dry out, add some of the crushed the crushed tomatoes.  Add the sautéed vegetables to the beef.

Next add the beans, diced tomatoes, and crushed tomatoes.  It is not necessary to drain the beans before adding them.  Finally, add the spices and cook the chili on medium low heat for at least an hour, allowing all of the flavors to permeate.  As you can tell from the picture above, you can also allow the chili to cook in the oven.  We used large aluminum foil chafing dish inserts and they worked well.  A crock pot would also work.

This chili is great served over mashed potatoes.  We served Swedish mashed along with buttered whole kernel corn, and some folks topped their chili with the corn.  I prefer shredded cheddar cheese.  It's great served over rice, too.  Recipes for other sides to complement the chili are provided below.

EVERLASTING SLAW

This recipe is from the Alpha Course cookbook.  It’s a different type of slaw with an oil, brown sugar, and vinegar dressing.  I wondered about the name, thinking it might have a religious connotation.  Not so.  It keeps “forever” in the refrigerator!  (At least a week, anyway.)  It is best if made at least a day ahead.  The new food processor came in handy for this recipe, too!

Ingredients:

1 small or ½ large sweet onion, grated

½ large head of green cabbage, shredded

3 carrots, shredded

¼ cup white vinegar

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup canola or olive oil

½ teaspoon salt (I used a little less)

½ teaspoon dry ground mustard

Combine all ingredients and allow to marinate in the refrigerator.  Toss several times while it’s marinating and again just before serving.

CORNBREAD

I’m providing two cornbread recipes to go along with this week’s chili.  The first is also from the Alpha Course cookbook, and it’s called “Johnny Cake Cornbread.”  It’s very smooth in texture, fairly moist, and as thick as the layer of a cake.

JOHNNY CAKE CORNBREAD

Ingredients:

4 eggs

½ cup sugar

2 cups yogurt (Don’t go by ounces on container.  Measure.)

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups cornmeal

4 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup butter, melted

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350°.

Beat eggs, sugar, and yogurt until smooth.  Combine the remaining dry ingredients, adding the melted butter last.  Do not over mix.  Pour batter into a greased 10”x15” pan, if you have one.  You can use a 9”x13” pan, but it will be very full and may take longer to bake.

The recipe calls for baking the cornbread at 425° for 20-25 minutes.  I opted to go with a lower temperature, baking it for 35-40 minutes.  Remember, the worst way to bake is using a timer.  It’s done when the middle springs back when lightly touched or when a cake tester comes out clean.

LAURA’S CORNBREAD

My daughter-in-law shared this recipe with me, and highly recommended it.  It contains two cans of corn; one whole kernel and one creamed.  I was skeptical about that much corn content, asking her if it would be “mainline” enough for the Tuesday night crowd.  She assured me that it would, but unfortunately, I ran out of time.  I was anxious to try it and made this recipe a couple of days later.  I have to tell you, the smell of it baking was incredible.  In my opinion it takes “cornbread” to a whole new level.  It is so moist and flavorful.  It could almost be a meal by itself.

Ingredients:

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 can creamed corn

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

1½ sticks butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Mix all ingredients together, adding the melted butter last.  Pour batter into a 9”x13” greased pan.  (I used two 8”x8” pans, and they worked fine.)  Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes, again until the center springs back when lightly touched.  Let cornbread cool completely before cutting and serving.

Enjoy!

Another "Easy Slider": Chicken in Cream Sauce

When I was a kid, Mrs. Grass Chicken Noodle Soup Mix was a hit.  I think it was one of the first freeze-dried products available.  It came with a little “magic egg,” called the Golden Flavor Nugget, that you placed in the pot along with the contents that were being rehydrated.  We’d carefully watch as the egg dissolved, knowing that when it was gone, it was soup!  The novelty of the product allowed us to forgive the taste…or lack thereof.

I wonder if anyone buys Lipton Onion Soup Mix and makes and serves it as just soup.  I don’t think I’ve every talked with anyone who, after eating a bowl of onion soup made from a mix says, “Now that’s good soup!”  Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who’s ever even done it.

I’ll admit it.  I’ve tried it once or twice when there’s been nothing else in the house to eat.  When you’ve had "real" soup, the stuff made from a mix is pretty awful.  And how about the sodium content?  Oh baby!  If you were able to down all 32 oz. of the soup made from one packet, you’d rack up 100% of your daily value of sodium!  According to the nutrition facts on the box, even a single one-cup serving is 25%, and 8 oz. is not a lot of soup.

Even the more "gourmet" dried soup mixes leave a lot to be desired.  Knorr makes a great soup mix.  Only it’s not very good as just soup.  But mix it with sour cream for a dip, or with other ingredients in a meat loaf or pot roast or in hamburgers, and something magical happens.  It creates a new flavor combination that causes taste buds to sit up and take notice.

Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup leaves something to be desired when it’s made as just soup.  Keep in mind that this is after you’ve had “real” mushroom soup.  But put it with chicken or in a green bean casserole, and it borders on “cuisine.”  Well, poor man’s cuisine, anyway.

That’s what There’s a Dad in the Kitchen is all about.  This week’s recipe is as easy as it gets.  It truly lives up to the mission of this blog:  “Basic recipes with simple ingredients…so easy, even a dad can do it.”  You’re going to love this one!

Fellow Dad in the Kitchen, Rob Brunner and I made this for the weekly Alpha Course and Journey Kids groups at Parker Ford Church.  We started with 16 lbs. of chicken, so the photos below reflect “mass quantities.”

CHICKEN IN CREAM SAUCE

Ingredients:

3-4 lbs. of chicken (combination of boneless, skinless breasts and thighs)

2 cans (10 oz.) Cream of Mushroom condensed soup

1 pkg. of dry onion soup mix*

1 cup sour cream

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon dill weed

For the Buttered Noodles"

1 lb. wide egg noodles

2 Tablespoons butter

*The original recipe called for two packages of dry onion soup mix.  This resulted in a sauce that was a little too salty for me.  I recommend using only one package.  For a stronger tasting sauce, use two.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Trim any excess fat from the chicken pieces and arrange them in a single layer on the bottom of a 9”x13” baking dish.  For our Alpha dinner, we used three 12"x20" foil pans.  Even with those three spacious pans, we still had to partially layer a portion of each piece of chicken on top of another.  This was not a problem if your baking dish isn't quite large enough.

Combine all other ingredients, incorporating them until they are well-blended.  (Do not make the soup according to directions on the can.  Just add the can’s contents.)  The bowl to the right is huge!  It's 15" across.  For the Tuesday night group, we used 8 cans of mushroom soup, 8 packages of onion soup mix and four cups of sour cream!  I forgot to add the dill weed to the sauce and sprinkled it on top as it went into the oven.  It was good, but would have been better blended into the sauce.

Slather the sauce mixture over top of all of the chicken pieces with a spatula, coating them liberally.  Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°.

While the chicken is baking, prepare the buttered noodles.  Cook noodles in a generous amount of lightly salted water for the prescribed time recommended for the al dente level of doneness.  Drain the noodles and return them to the pot used for cooking.  Add about 2 Tablespoons of butter to the still hot noodles and toss until they are well-coated.  Try to time the cooking of the noodles to coincide with when the chicken will be ready.

It's hard to see if there is any chicken under there, but
there is...and it's tender and juicy!

After the chicken has cooked, if possible, remove some of the sauce from the baking dish and blend it with a hand whisk.  If it’s too thick, add a little milk.  This sauce can be used on any chicken pieces that are no longer coated, as well as over the buttered noodles.  I also chose to serve the ever-popular green bean casserole.  We also had a fresh greens salad and rolls.

I’m thinking that this recipe could also be made in a crock-pot.  Imagine how tender and flavorful the chicken would be after a day of slow cooking in this sauce!

Enjoy!

More Comfort Food: Old Fashioned Meat Loaf & Swedish Potatoes

I know…I know.  In fact, I already said it last week:  “While not a meat loaf and mashed potatoes kind of comfort food, spaghetti casserole is still an entrée that leaves you filled, as well as with a smile on your face…and that’s what comfort food is all about, right?”

Several of you reminded me that Spaghetti Casserole is not your typical comfort food.  I already agreed.  But, I also feel it qualifies.  However, to appease everyone, this week is:  Meat Loaf and Mashed Potatoes…and that’s what comfort food is all about, right?  Right!

Meat loaf was a favorite in our house when I was growing up, and it was always served with mashed potatoes.  Or, as a family friend referred to them:  smashed potatoes.

As anyone who has had a roommate will tell you, there is no shortage of philosophical discussions which roommates will debate.  The merits as well as the disadvantages of a wide variety of topics are heavily deliberated.  For my roommate and me, few of these discussions ended well…hardly ever amicably, and sometimes with someone being carted to the lake and tossed in.

One such discussion with my roommate, Kurt, centered around pairing fruit with meat.  He was not a supporter of such radical cuisine, citing Exhibit 1:  pineapple rings served with ham.  This combination was a revulsion in the highest.  Grapes in chicken salad?  Forget it!

Kurt proceeded to tell a story of his mother’s meat loaf recipe that called for a cup of corn flakes.  On one occasion, Edna was out of corn flakes, and the only comparable cereal in the pantry was raisin bran.  You guessed it:  Raisin Meat Loaf.

I couldn’t argue with that one.  Nobody went in the lake that night.

This meat loaf recipe is another from The Alpha Course Cookbook.  It’s been adapted only slightly.

OLD FASHIONED MEAT LOAF
(click on any image to enlarge it)

These are two of the four 18" meat loaves we made for our Alpha course dinner.

Ingredients:

1½ - 2 lbs. (approx.) lean ground beef

²/₃ cup bread crumbs

¾ cup milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 small onion, grated

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the glaze:

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ cup ketchup

1 teaspoon ground mustard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, onion, salt and pepper.  

Blend thoroughly with your hands and...

...shape into a loaf.  Place into a baking dish.  Many people like to use loaf pans, but doing this can result in a greasy meat loaf, as the grease has nowhere to go.  (Some loaf pans have an insert that allows the grease to drain away.)  Using a flat baking dish permits the fat to drain, and if desired can be suctioned out with a turkey baster.

You can make the glaze and spread it on the meat loaf before baking, or if you're pressed for time, start baking the meat loaf and apply the glaze when it's ready.  

To make the glaze, combine the brown sugar, nutmeg, ketchup, and dry mustard, whisking it until smooth.  Spread it over the top of the meat loaf.

Place the completed loaf in the oven and bake at 350° for approximately 60 minutes.  After approximately an hour, use a meat thermometer to determine doneness, (165° internally).

As you can tell from the photographs, I did not grate the onion and only chopped it.  Grating will enable it to "blend in" and you'll also get more flavor.

Serve with gravy, (thickened beef stock), and mashed potatoes, (below).

SWEDISH MASHED POTATOES

This recipe is also from The Alpha Course Cookbook.  It has been adapted slightly.  When we served these at Parker Ford Church last week, one youngster, who was coming through the line, announced, “These are just mashed potatoes.”  My response was given in my best Swedish, of course.

Ingredients:

6-8 large potatoes, peeled and cut in half

6 ounces of cream cheese

1 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons onion salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons dried parsley flakes (optional)

Directions:

Cook potatoes in salted water until tender.

Mash until smooth with no lumps.  I use a Foley Food Mill.  It’s great for making mashed potatoes.

Guaranteed, there will be no lumps!

Add remaining ingredients and beat until light and fluffy.  The original recipe called for additional salt, on top of the onion salt.  We felt it wasn’t needed, but add more, after tasting, if you like.

You can serve the potatoes at this point, or place them in a buttered casserole, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

To reheat, remove from refrigerator approximately 90 minutes before dinner, and allow to sit at room temperature for about an hour.  Bake uncovered at 350° for 30 minutes, or until heated through.

Enjoy!