BASIC MASHED POTATOES

(Serves 4 to 6)

2 pounds medium baking potatoes, washed, peeled and quartered (about 4- 6 potatoes)

1/4 to 1/2 cup milk (skim, 1%, 2% or whole)

2 tablespoons butter or margarine or as desired, room temperature

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Place potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil; then reduce to a heavy

simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Remove pot from heat and drain potatoes.

Re-cover potatoes in pot to keep warm.

Heat milk in a smaller pan over low heat or in your microwave until hot; do not boil. (You can

skip heating your milk but it will cool down your potatoes more.)

Mash potatoes using a potato masher or an electric mixer on low speed just until lumps are gone.

(Avoid overmashing or you.ll have glue!) Add the butter or margarine. Slowly mix in enough

milk until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.)

COOK.S TIPS:

Baking potatoes work best for making mashed potatoes. Russet potatoes are the most common

baking potato with Idaho potatoes the type frequently seen in stores. You may wish to weigh

potatoes at the store to determine weight.

Put potatoes in cool water while you.re chopping them to keep them from turning brown.

Make chunks of potatoes about the same size so they get done at the same time.

If you want to peel your potatoes ahead of time, Cooking Light magazine (September, 2001)

suggests the following to keep them from turning dark: .Dip the potatoes in a mixture of one

quart water and three tablespoons lemon juice. Drain well, then cover and refrigerate until ready

to use..

Test if a potato is tender by checking if the blade of a small knife easily slides in and out.

Drain potatoes in a colander to help assure removing excess water. Avoid lifting a heavy pot of

hot water and potatoes: Place your colander over another bowl near potatoes. Transfer potatoes

from the cooking pot to the colander with a slotted spoon. Dump hot water and return potatoes

to pot.

If your mashed potatoes tend to get lumpy, try putting them through a potato ricer after cooking.

Then add the butter, hot milk, etc. and mix together. Consider .smashed. rather than .mashed.

potatoes. You mash to remove lumps but don.t attempt to have the potatoes perfectly smooth.

Use white pepper if you don.t want black flecks in your potatoes or omit pepper and let guests

add their own.

PUMPKIN ICE CREAM PIE

(Makes 8 servings)

1 can (15 to 16 oz.) pure pumpkin puree

1/4 cup sugar

1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, depending on how .spicy. a flavor you enjoy

1 quart (4 cups) vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, softened

1 package (9 ounces) 9-inch prepared graham cracker pie crust

Whipped topping, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

Mix the pumpkin, sugar and spice until well blended.

Quickly mix pumpkin mixture with the softened ice cream.

Pour into crumb crust and freeze, uncovered, until firm .a couple of hours.

When pie is frozen, cover with plastic wrap and then cover with freezer-quality foil or place in a

freezer bag and squish out the air.

Thaw pie slightly before serving. Top with whipped topping, if desired.

COOK.S TIPS:

Pumpkin is a good source of beta-carotene, a nutrient that may help reduce the risk of developing

certain types of cancer and offers possible protection against heart disease.

If you don.t have pumpkin pie spice, for EACH TEASPOON of pumpkin pie spice, you can

substitute a combination of:

. 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

. 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

. 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

. 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

. NOTE: If you.re missing either the nutmeg OR the cloves, you can increase the

amount of the other spice to 1/4 teaspoon.

Use nonfat ice cream or frozen yogurt and fat-free whipped topping for a lighter version.

The online Good Housekeeping Web site (www.goodhousekeeping.com) advises .the best way to

soften ice cream is to let it sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes or in the refrigerator

for 30.. Avoid repeatedly softening and refreezing ice cream as it gets icy.

Be sure the package says it.s a 9oz. pie shell.