Dairy Marriage Makes for 'Happily Ever After' Mashed Potatoes

These two cuties are the basis of excellent mashed potatoes. Boil and drain potatoes and dump them on the cream cheese and butter. Let it all sit for several minutes. Then mash 'em up. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken Fried Steak

Heat about a 1/2 inch of oil (I used peanut) until it shimmers. While it warms, sprinkle cubed beef steak with seasoned salt, and dredge in flour. Then dip in beaten eggs, and then dredge in flour again. Sprinkle with cracked pepper. Fry for 5-6 minutes on each side, and I checked to make sure these were done because they were a little thicker than I've dealt with previously. Cubed pork actually works better, I think.

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes made from spuds dug up from a garden bed last night. Here's our recipe: boiled potatoes smashed with cream cheese and butter.

Mashed Potates - Family Style

I made a big batch of Idaho mashed potatoes this week. I use the russets and leave the skin on, but the real difference is the white stuff. Add some softened cream cheese to your mashed potatoes. The cream cheese brightens up the potatoes both in color and taste. It's a tradition from my dad, that I believe Martha Stewart stole a couple of years ago!

Throwing Dinner on the Table

Fried chicken strips, mashed potatoes and gravy, and sauteed cabbage. First, the potatoes, they take the longest to prepare.

I scrubbed these Idaho spuds and cut them in big chunks. Sometimes, I put the whole potato in. No need to peel them. Boil until tender.
Drain them, and pile them on top of a big glob of cream cheese and butter and just let them sit for a while. I left them there ten minutes or so.I plugged in the deep-fryer and whisked together the cheater gravy out of a package. I used Knorr roasted chicken gravy.
I sliced some cabbage thin. The cabbage was a surprise in my organic box delivery this week.
Time to swirl the potatoes around in a stand mixer. Add a little milk if they're too thick. I don't whip them into a frosting-like frenzy, it's fine to leave a few big pieces.

These frozen chicken strips from Schwan's cook in 3 minutes.

Saute the cabbage in a little bit of butter, and salt and pepper it. This takes just a couple of minutes. And, everything is ready to serve!