Awesome twist on Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are the ubiquitous standby starch of any holiday meal. As Ruth Krauss wrote in A Hole Is To Dig: “Mashed Potatoes are to give everybody enough.” So whatever you do, don’t skimp on the spuds. Besides, there is nothing better on the leftovers menu than potato pancakes with eggs and bacon the morning after the feast.M

Bret Ramsey
Executive Chef at Boulder Cafe

But if you’re looking for a new, tasty take on the old standard, try this fantastic twist from Bret Ramsey, executive chef at the Boulder Cafe.

Ingredients:

• 8-10 large Russet Potatoes, scrubbed & dried
• 1-2 sticks, unsalted butter
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 scallions, finely chopped
• 2-3 cups sharp cheddar cheese
• Kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place rack in center of oven, put potatoes on rack and bake for 30 minutes; pierce each potato 3-4 times with a fork and bake for another 30 minutes, or until tender inside.

Turn heat down to 350°F and remove potatoes. Using an oven mitt, hold the potatoes and cut in half length wise; scoop out the potato into a large bowl and reserve the skins.

Mash the potatoes in the bowl; add butter and a little whole milk (about a 1:1 ratio) until light and fluffy; Stir in scallions, sour cream and add salt and pepper to taste (Bret likes a lot of pepper).

Coat a 9×14 inch casserole dish with butter, line the casserole dish with the empty skins, skin side out, overlapping them depending on how much you like potato skins. Scoop mashed potato mixture into the dish and sprinkle cheese on top. Return filled casserole dish to 350°F oven and bake until cheese is melted and getting lightly brown, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.