{Crazy Cooking Challenge} Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

With Thanksgiving approaching, I’m starting to think about side dishes!  Traditionally, we have my grandmother’s mashed potatoes and I do love them so.  It’s hard for me to even consider any other type of mashed potato. 

However, when I saw Gina’s recipe for Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Chives, I thought that might be worth trying. 

We had some leftover potatoes from a chicken roast we made recently, and I whipped up these mashed potatoes.  I was surprised at how much I liked the tang of the buttermilk in the potatoes coupled with the chives.  They were quite good! 

While I don’t know if they will replace Grandma’s Mashed Potatoes at Thanksgiving this year, it’s good to have another yummy mashed potato recipe – one that’s quite different from our traditional recipe. 

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Chives – Adapted from Gina

Ingredients

• 6-7 potatoes {ours were russet}
• 1/2 C buttermilk
• sea salt
• crushed black pepper
• 2 T dried chives

Directions

Begin by peeling and cubing your potatoes.  Toss them in a pot with water and plenty of salt.  Bring the potatoes to a boil and simmer away, covered, for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  {Note: I used potatoes we had leftover from a roast – they were pre-cooked & have a slightly darker color as a result}.

Drain the water from the potatoes once they are tender.  Place the potato cubes into a large metal bowl.  Top with buttermilk, chives and salt & pepper. 

Using a potato masher, or the beaters from your hand-held mixer, smash the warm potatoes a few times to start the mixing process.  Then, turn on the hand mixer and mix until the desired consistency is reached. 

While Gina mixed her potatoes entirely smooth, I left ours with small potato pieces.  The only “pureed” mashed potatoes I really enjoy are Grandma’s, so I decided to leave some variety in these potatoes.  I really liked it that way!

I’m sharing this recipe today as part of the Crazy Cooking Challenge – Mashed Potatoes!