My Famous Mashed Potatoes

My kids are now adults and one has kids of her own, but like most little ones, getting them to eat and try new vegetables was an artform in parenting.

The only vegetable I could be assured to getting down them was the lowly Idaho russet. Being creative in the kitchen has always been one of my greatest assets, so I decided to come up with a recipe to get them to try something other than a spud.

I decided to mix the starchy tuber with other vegetables. There were several failures along the way. No one in my home liked when I mixed pureed rutabagas or turnips in with it. Roasting parsnips and mashing them into the whipped potatoes also didn't meet with much approval. Leeks were the worst!

Then one day cauliflower was on sale! Hey, it was white. I had read Weight Watchers recipes that said you could puree it and serve it as a low-cal replacement for mashed potatoes. So I figured 'how bad could it be?'. Couldn't be any worse that the reaction I received from the rutabagas. So, here came the experiment.

After several tries on cooking methods and the extra ingredients, I hit on a winner! So good is my recipe that it has been published in several major magazines and a very large newspaper in the county where we live. Two other testaments as to how good these are: Thanksgiving doesn't start for our family until I arrive with the mashed potatoes AND my daughter had me give the recipe to the caterer for her wedding reception dinner!

This recipe doesn't only taste terrific, it's also low in fat. What more could anyone want with all the rich food served on Turkey day?

Ready to give it a try? Here's the details-this recipe serve about 6 people and can easily be increased to fit your crowd. But make more than usual, because they will go fast!

3 lbs of russets, peeled and cut into like sized chunks

1 large head of cauliflower, in florets

1/4 C each butter and milk

kosher salt and a pepper grinder (use pre-ground only if you must!)

You'll need two large pots. In one pot, place all the potatoes and cover with cold water and 1 tbsp of salt. Bring to a boil and then simmer the potatoes just until fork tender. Drain very well and mash. I like to use a ricer. In the other, bring 1-1/2 cups of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cover. Steam until very tender. Drain well. Place in a blender with the butter and milk. Add 1 tsp of salt and a 1/2 tsp of freshly ground pepper. Puree until smooth. Combine the potatoes and cauliflower mixture. Adjust the seasonings to your taste. Serve.

These are so tasty, you won't even need to serve gravy on the side!