Dyan Damron from Coach D Consulting made Healthier Mashed Potatoes and Gravy and talked about ways to prep early for the holiday meal. For more information, go to www.coachdconsulting.com.
Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes
1 T each kosher salt& chopped garlic
3T room temp unsalted butter
2 oz room temp Neufchatel cream cheese(or sour cream or plain Greek yogurt)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ up to1 cup room temp 1% milk
½ up to1 cup room temp low sodium chicken stock
1 tsp kosher salt (to taste)
Directions: Rinse and wipe down potatoes well. Do not peel the potatoes as this adds flavor and texture(skin on a Yukon Gold potato is thin and delicious). Cut into 2-inch dices and immediately add to a large (4-5 qt) pot with water. Once all potatoes are in the pot, water should go about 1 inch over potatoes–adjust water level accordingly. You can cut potatoes and leave in water for several hours at room temp. When ready to boil, add salt and garlic directly to the water and stir well. Turn the heat to medium and bring up to a simmer. Simmer potatoes for about 10 minutes then check with a fork. Potatoes should be fork tender. Continue to simmer (do not allow over boil over) until potatoes are fork tender–this will vary depending on the size of your potato dices. Check a few and stir to ensure even cooking. As soon as potatoes are fork tender, strain them into a strainer and add potatoes directly back into warm pot. Put back on stove but turn off heat. Begin mashing with a potato masher (do not use electric mixer). Once potatoes are slightly mashed, add butter, cream cheese, and pepper. Mash until all ingredients are well incorporated.I like texture, so I do not mash all the way smooth –it helps to also keep potatoes from getting gummy. Finally, add milk and broth to get the consistency you like. Once you like the consistency,taste and add salt as needed. Tip: You definitely want your butter, cream cheese, a milk, and broth to be at room temperature. I pull them out of the fridge early in the morning and leave them by the warm stove. If you add any cold ingredients, it will curdle.
Gravy
Ingredients:
3 T AP flour
1 T unsalted butter
2 T canola oil
2cups room temp low sodium chicken stock
1 cup room temp 1% milk
½t each pepper and poultry seasoning
½t kosher salt to taste
Directions: Add flour, butter, and oil to a large saucepan. Turn heat to medium low and whisk well. Keep whisking and cooking until a light brown paste forms. While whisking, slowly add stock and milk ½ cup at a time. If you prefer a thicker gravy, you can add a little less liquid. Add pepper and poultry seasoning. Taste and add salt as needed. Tip: This gravy is a 3-3-3 rule –3T flour, 3T fat, 3c liquid. So,you could flavor this however you like –use bacon or ham fat and add more milk than broth. Or use beef broth and add steak seasoning rather than poultry seasoning. You can also add small pieces of meat if you like a chunky gravy –like sausage gravy.
