MASHED POTATO PUFF

Different than regular mashed potatoes that are so tasty and very pretty.

INGREDIENTS:

Cream Cheese package – one 8 ounce

Hot mashed potatoes – 4 Cups

Egg – one beaten

Onion – 1/3 cup finely chopped

Butter – 1/2 cube

Pimiento – 1/4 cup

Garlic powder – 1 teaspoon

Salt – 1 teaspoon

White pepper – 1 teaspoon

DIRECTIONS:

Peal and cook potatoes in boiling water with lots salt added.  Combine all ingredients to the hot potatoes and mix until well blended.  Return to an oven safe bowl and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  They will be fluffy and so seriously good.

I LOVE potatoes, and sometimes it’s really nice to have something different…out of the ordinary…other than regular mashed or baked.

Tonight I decided to fix Cod in a white wine and cream sauce, topped with sweet Georgia shrimp, green salad and roasted asparagus, mushrooms and bell pepper, and Creamy potato puff…which ended up being the star of the dish.  It was the easiest dish to make and was unexpectedly delicious.  Everyone around the table on Sunday loved the side dish that I hadn’t made for years and years…actually since 1998.  Fish and potatoes are a great combination together, the moist meat of the fish with creamy potatoes…so I pulled out one of my very old favorites to make the dish tonight just perfect.

The great part of the recipe aside from the incredibly good taste, is the fact that you can make it…and put it into the fridge over night or for just a few hours before putting it into the oven and cooking it for 45 minutes.  Anything that can be done ahead of time makes me very, very happy.

Cover the potatoes with water and add enough salt to make the water taste like the sea.  Don’t be afraid of using too much, they will be drained and if you don’t add salt the potatoes will be bland.

To start with I used Yokon Gold potatoes.  I usually use russet but someone told me these were better for mashed potatoes, because they were more creamy so I thought I would give it a try.  Really glad I did because they were super creamy and smooth.  Of course that could have been from the large amount of cream cheese and butter that I used…never the less…they were fantastic.

My potatoes are cooked and now I’ll run them through the ricer.

Into the potatoes in any order at all, add the cream cheese, butter, chopped pimiento, chopped onion, garlic, beaten egg, white pepper, and salt.

If you like your onions softer, saute in butter before adding to the potatoes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

The potatoes will be a pretty salmon color, super light and fluffy and taste really awesome.

Ready to go into the oven

You could add green onions for color, sprinkle bacon on top, or add a parmesan crisp to the top like I did…totally depends on what you have on hand.

These will probably be the most “puffy” potatoes you have ever tasted.

The first time I made these potatoes, I forgot the onions.  Everyone thought they were good but they were so much better the next time when I remembered them!