Mashed Butternut Squash

I know I haven't updated in ages after promising to do so. Typical. Not that I haven't been cooking or cooking Ina dishes, or anything like that! This time I was just too lazy to document it.

But on this day, I am feeling sort of Fall-ish, even though its August. It's a chilly August day. I'm dying for some Fall! Pumpkin Spice Latte, apple fritters and scarves. FALL.

I had this butternut squash I bought, intending to make risotto with it, but instead I decided to make this mashed butternut squash recipe since it sounded so good.

Here is the mise en place:


Not too many ingredients. But note how it includes butter. Ahhh...

Squash, meet my Shun. Prepare to die.


Now, that I've dismembered my squash, it is time to roast it.... alive!!!11!!


Okay, this is a really weird, grim road I've gone down. Back to squash just being squash. Here's the roasted squash.


Now, Ina's instructions are to blitz the squash in a food processor. I'm going to do as told, but honestly, the squash is so tender that you can easily mash it with ricer, or a potato masher. I'm guessing that the food processor will make it more into a puree than a mash. I've added in the half and half and seasonings.


And here's the mash. So far so good.


Keeping it warm while I prep the rest of dinner. Man, that is really orange! What happened to the white balance on my camera? Damn my counter for making everything avocado!


The review:
Excellent. I thought the mash might be a little grainy or lumpy since it was in the processor, but it wasn't. It was really smooth and nice. You almost don't need the brown sugar since the squash itself it kind of sweet, but it does caramelize the squash and helps it to brown up. I would definitely make this again since it was easy. I could also see this becoming a really good start to a twice-baked squash recipe. So good.

Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

So why another potato recipe so soon? Well, I actually wasn't planning it, but then Joel and I got inspired by recent Food Network programming and decided to hold our own mini-Thanksgiving for two. I cooked some turkey cutlets with pan gravy, baked up some cornbread, sauteed some green beans and opened that old can of cranberry jelly stuff. Since we were having turkey, I thought it would be appropriate to do mashed potatoes, and the Barefoot Contessa has a few great recipes for mashed potatoes.

First we start off with the ingredients:


I will warn you right now. There is a lot of FAT in these smashed potatoes. I'm not even going to try to cover it up. I think the potatoes will turn out tasty because of the fat, but personally, I think it's excessive. Butter, half and half, and sour cream. That's a lot yo'.

Boil them 'taters. I'm kind of obsessive, I take off all the blemishes and imperfections off of the potato. I know I can leave some of them on, but... anyway, those are the little gouges in the potatoes you see.


While the potatoes simmer away, I'll melt the butter and mix it with the half and half. God. I never have half and half in my house. I don't use it in my coffee. I don't know how else I'm going to use the rest of the carton up.


Shhh. the recipe says to heat it on the stove, but I heated the mix in the microwave.

Here we go! Smashing the potatoes are quite satisfying. It makes you feel like you are truly putting effort into your food instead of just throwing something together to eat. I hear kneading bread dough is similarly cathartic. Here, you can see that the potatoes are pretty dry. I've only added in a little bit of the butter mixture. It should get creamier as I add more fat.


A little while later, the potatoes are smashed sufficiently and are nice mixture of fluffy/creamy. I don't like super fine pureed potatoes and enjoy them when they have a bit of texture. Anyway, now I'm ready to fold in the sour cream and Parmesan cheese. Seriously, I don't think you can make these potatoes any richer. And, I love calorie-laden carbohydrates.


Parmesan smashed potatoes. You can catch a glimpse of the rest of the meal in the background.


The review

The smashed potatoes are excellent. I didn't have a doubt they would be since the ingredients and preparation were very simple. They have a nice smooth texture without being gluey. The use of red potatoes works well. I like the difference that the peels make in the final product. However, as I mentioned above: THIS IS A RICH DISH. I don't think that the use of the three different fats were needed. Basic mashed potatoes contain butter and milk. Sometimes I substitute sour cream instead of the milk. I've never put all three into mashed potatoes before, let alone half and half and a large dose of cheese. This recipe could be significantly lightened with minimal taste discrepancies. Save this one for a special occasion or party.

The recipe makes 6 servings. I used the leftovers to make Shepherd's pie the next night. Potatoes were still quite tasty and didn't become grainy or lumpy overnight.

Garlic Roasted Potatoes

According to Wikipedia, potatoes originated somewhere in the Andes in modern-day Peru. I imagine its discovery went something like this:

Genius potato discoverer: Here Fido! Come here boy!
Fido: Woof!
Genius potato discoverer: Hey you mutt! Stop digging in Francisco's yard! He hates that!
Fido: Woof!
Genius potato discoverer: Why, what is this starchy, tuberous crop you've uncovered?
Fido: *pants*
Genius potato discoverer: *takes a bite of potato* This is delicious! It would be terrific with some ceviche. We should plant and harvest more! Quick, fetch the guano!

Anyhow, this genius discoverer has brought me much joy. I will rarely turn down a potato dish and knowing Ina's penchant for putting rich dairy products in her dishes, I am looking forward to making lovely, delicious potato dishes in the future. We start here with a pretty basic recipe for Garlic Roasted Potatoes.

Now, I've made this plenty of time before because it's easy to make and they incorporate my favorite potato combo: crisp on the outside/tender on the inside. I've made these so often that I think Joel is sick of them. He always tells me I make too many, but what does he know ... leftovers are a wonderful thing.

So here are the ingredients. Simple stuff: potatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and parsley


I like red potatoes. The day I went to the supermarket, the fingerling potatoes didn't look so hot, so I bought the regular-sized reds. I'm impatient so, I chopped them a little smaller so they would cook faster.


Next up is the garlic. I love doing that chef-y thing where you whack the garlic with the side of your knife to remove the skins. I have also done this and had the garlic squirt out from under the knife, hit the wall and ricochet to the floor. So much for smooth chef moves, eh? Anyway, prepare to meet your doom garlic.


I think I've killed it.


Toss the garlic in with the potatoes and add in the oil, S&P. Here are the potatoes, gleaming and oiled ... just like Richard Simmons! (Okay, that's so gross. Even for me. Sorry.)

Dang. Wrong setting on my camera. The potatoes are NOT green. I'll get it eventually.

45-60 minutes and a few turns later: Crisp potatoes!


Sprinkle on the parsley and that's it!


The review:
Excellent. Of course, I'd probably eat it even if it sucked. It's really hard to mess up potatoes. What I love most about this recipe is that you can make it using a bunch of different combinations. Take out the garlic, add some paprika with a dollop of sour cream and its serious good eats.