Garlic and Parmesan Mashed Red Potatoes

These are SO delicious and So easy!  They are going to be my new go-to mashed potatoes.  They're just like you get at a nice restaurant.  And I can imagine they're super versatile- add more herbs and spices, different kinds of cheese, whatever.  YUM!

Recipe by Valerie Mitchell - Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 8 medium red potatoes, quartered
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk, warmed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Place potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender. Drain well. Add the butter, milk and salt; mash. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

*Okay- I only had 6 medium red potatoes, so I used a little less garlic and cheese.  I also combined the Parmesan with some leftover Pecorino cheese I had, so I didn't add much salt.  Then I forgot I was reducing and still added the 1/2 cup of milk- but I loved how creamy they turned out.  I added the garlic cloves to the water like the recipe says to do, but I sliced them in half first. I'll try mincing them next time and adding after the boil to see how that changes the flavor.  As you can see- it's a forgiving recipe!  Play with it and make it perfect for your taste!

Weekly Meal Plan

I think my meal plan for this week is going to rock, so I want to share it.  I got almost everything in a desperate last minute web search before placing a FreshDirect order, so there are a few recipes on here I haven't tried yet, but they're all so simple I can't see anything not ending up great!

Pecan Crusted Chicken (Rachael Ray recipe)

     w/ Steamed Asparagus in lemon butter
Creamy Tomato Parmigiano Soup

     w/ French Baguette (using heavy cream in soup instead of sour cream)

Romanesco Broccoli and Rigatoni (Rachael Ray recipe)
Mediterranean Lemon Chicken and Thyme Roasted Potatoes

     w/ leftover asparagus

Crockpot Stuffing Chicken

     w/ steamed green beans

Oven Stew

This isn't really a recipe for the health conscious, but it's a good one to prepare early in the day and just let it cook away in the oven. Excellent for those cold, chilly days where you need something to warm you up.

2 lbs. hamburger

2 onions, chopped

2 sticks of celery, chopped

Carrots, peeled and chopped (I use about 3 or 4)

Potatoes, peeled and chopped (I used about 4-5 of these)

2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup

1 can Cheddar Cheese soup

2 cups milk

Brown the hamburger in an oven safe pot or dutch oven. Season with salt and pepper. Add everything else and stir well until the mixture is creamy.

Put in a 350 degree oven. Let bubble for 2-3 hours. Good for camping or cook while away for the afternoon.

With the potatoes and carrots, sometimes, I just guess how many to use depending on how big they are and how many people will be eating.