Mashed potatoes were a staple in our home when I was growing up because it's a simple and inexpensive dish that compliments many of the foods we ate. Fried chicken and country ham just aren't the same without mashed potatoes and gravy, and they go well with many other dishes. My mother used to make potato pancakes with mashed potato leftovers, but as the kids grew up there were fewer and fewer leftovers. We still laugh about my brothers and the amount of potatoes they could eat as they grew into the teen years. We passed the bowl around the table until it reached my brother Jeff, and he would always ask, "Anyone want any more potatoes?" then proceed to empty the bowl onto his plate. He still jokingly says it when the family gathers for the holidays, but now he's got more competition for the potatoes.
I don't remember Mom ever baking mashed potatoes, but I've had them a few times with special dinners and they make a perfect accompaniment to Easter ham. The top takes on a slightly crispy crunch and I add fresh parsley, sage, thyme, and chives from our garden to brighten the flavor. We recently built some raised beds and I transplanted the existing herbs to their new home and seeded some cilantro and dill, both of which like the cool spring weather. Next month we'll add the basil seedlings and the herb garden will be complete.
This is my contribution to Grow Your Own, a blogging event that celebrates the dishes we create from foods we've grown, raised, foraged, or hunted ourselves. Nate and Annie of House of Annie are our hosts for this round, so be sure to visit their blog for more information about submitting your post. Deadline for this month is April 30. If you are new to the event and would like to join us, you can read more about the rules for participating at the Grow Your Own page.
Update: The roundup is posted at House of Annie. Thanks Nate and Annie!
[Updated November 23, 2009.]
Baked Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Herbs
Equipment
- 3-quart pot with lid
- 2 quart baking dish, greased
- hand mixer
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (scrubbed, peeled, and cut into 1-inch chunks)
- 4 cloves garlic (peeled)
- water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup plain yogurt (or sour cream)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 sprig fresh thyme (leaves removed)
- 2 sprigs fresh parsley (chopped)
- 3 leaves fresh sage (chopped)
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 3 chives (chopped)
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350° F/175° C.
- In the 3-quart pot, cover the potatoes and garlic with water, add salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain.
- Stir the butter into the drained potatoes, then add the yogurt and Parmesan cheese. Whip with the hand mixer, then stir in the thyme, parsley, and sage.
- Spread in the prepared baking dish, then sprinkle on the paprika. Bake in the preheated oven until heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle the chopped chives over the potatoes and serve hot.
A&N says
Oh that looks so awesome! I LOVE garlic in my mashed potatoes...this recipe is a must try...bookmarked 🙂
Rosa says
That sounds really yummy! A wonderfully flavorful recipe!
Cheers,
Rosa
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says
I have garden envy! My chives are about 3 inches tall, and the thyme is just coming back to life, but nothing else is thriving in the garden yet. When my herbs are robust, these garlic mashed potatoes will be on my to-make list.
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) says
I have garden envy! My chives are about 3 inches tall, and the thyme is just coming back to life, but nothing else is thriving in the garden yet. When my herbs are robust, these garlic mashed potatoes will be on my to-make list.
Sorry... forgot to say great post - can't wait to read your next one!
D Wilson says
We are having such nutsy weather in Central Tx. It is already warm enough the cilantro babies bolted but then our lows dropped into the mid 40s again which threatens the tomatoes. All by way of which I am saying I will have dill and basil and cilantro but not all at the same time I guess.
Your raised beds sure look great - good eating is clearly on the way.
Lynette says
Baked Mashed Potatoes Yummy and all the garlic even better. Thanks for sharing.
Gay says
I miss joining Grow Your Own! I've moved to another place (four months already) and I have yet to establish my herb garden. Hope to share with GYO again one of these days.
auntjayne says
This is fabulous!
I am going to keep coming back to this blog!
I would like very much to post a link to your blog. OK with you?
Aunt Jayne
auntjayne says
Hi
Sorry, I am fairly new to this. Would dispalying a link to my last blog post be the same as adding you to my blog list?
Claudia says
Wow, my kind of mashed potatoes. I can't wait for an excuse to try them.
Ellen Zachos says
So glad to have found you and GYO, Andrea! Many wonderful recipes to try, and I look forward to contributing again.
Kim da Cook says
Ok this has to be the best recipe I have seen in a long time, this is true comfort food, and very bad for one who just loves comfort food this is going straight to my hips, I cant wait to make this I am sitting here thing what I am going to make with it tonight and its not even 11 o' clock in the morning, I just love the use of fresh herbs too.
Thanks for a super way of changing mash potatoes. 🙂
Gourmet Mama says
Well that just about makes me wanna head to town and buy those ingredients. That looks awesome. I am happy I came across your blog. I will keep coming back for more recipes to try out.
kdblya says
Do you think this could be assembled ahead and baked off on Thanksgiving Day? Mashed potatoes always seem like something that has to be done at the last minute, but this could be the answer to that problem, no?
Andrea says
Yes, you could absolutely make the mashed potatoes a day or two before then assemble and bake on Thanksgiving Day. Enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner!