Baking Potatoes

And I am back to food. Comfort food. I need it now more than ever. I like potatoes. They are easy to make...almost anything made out of potatoes is easy. Cook or bake the potatoes and you are half way there. The most popular potato recipe around here is for mashed potatoes so this was the first one I learned. Especially since my girlfriend likes them a lot. There are a few different ways how you can make them. Ok, then I usually made too much and there were leftovers. So I started to learn and try recipes for leftover mashed potatoes. Yeah...the link is full of them.

But now I also into baked potato recipes and recipes for potato bread. Baked potatoes were always my favorite dish. Just cut the potato in half and put it in the oven. When it's soft, baked and a little brown on the top take it out, put some salt on it and eat it with sour cream. Yummy!! And potato bread - I started making it because I often bake homemade bread. First only the usual flour, yeast and water recipe but then I also tried experimenting and potato bread sounded like a good idea.

Well, this pretty much sums up where I stand with my potato recipes at the moment.

Potatoes

After a loooooooong long time I'm back to recipes. This time it's all about potatoes. Potatoes for mashed potatoes, for potato pie etc... Now there are a few thing you should know :)

1. How to select the right kind of potato for your potato pie?
Introduced here are four varieties of potatoes but generally there are about 16 different potatoes that you can find at the market and in the stores. Other potatoes are rarer kinds and difficult to get by. But remember that potatoes fall into three common categories: starchy, waxy, and those in - between which are referred to as all - purposed.

Starchy potatoes are ideal for baking. They are fluffy and absorbent, perfect for butter on a baked potato or the oil in a fryer. They are decent mashed, but care must be taken not to over work them, else you are going to have a gluey mess.

Waxy potatoes have a smoother, more waxy texture so they hold their shape while cooking. They work well in dishes like soups, stews, potato salad and scalloped potatoes where you would need to boil, slice, or roast.

All - purpose potatoes have a less starch than starchy potatoes, but not so much that they completely fall apart when cooked. They are going to work for most potato dishes as potato pie is.

A note on potato safety - don't use potatoes with a green - tint to the skin. These have been exposed to too much light and have developed the toxin 'solanine' which can cause some nasty conditions like cramping, headaches, diarrhea, and fever. Such a potato also will have a bitter flavor.

2. A list of different potatoes

Russet (starchy) This is the potato most people have fixed in their minds as the classic potato. They are ideal baking potatoes and are also good fried and mashed.

Jewel Yam (starchy) Actually a sweet potato, not a true jam, this is the most commonly found market sweet potato. Great baked or roasted.

Japanese Sweet Potato (starchy) This variety has a pink to purple skin with white flesh. Its flavor is sweet and nutty. They can be grilled, steamed or baked.

Hannah Sweet Potato (starchy) Very much like a Jewel potato, but with lighter skin and flesh.

I wanted to write more but if you are looking for recipes just follow the first two links that will teach you how to make kick ass mashed potatoes and a tasty yet simple sweet potato pie. Bon apetit!

Mashed Potato Recipe

Did I post a recipe yet? The title starts with Food & Recipes and I didn't post a single recipe on this blog yet. Which sucks. So to fix this right here right now I will let you in on a little secret recipe...lol... that everyone already knows - Mashed potatoes recipe. So how do you make mashed potatoes?

It's really really really easy. But there are a few tricks to make them better.

1. Peel the potatoes.
2. Cut them in a few pieces.
3. Put them in a pan and cover them with (trick number one) COLD water. Add some salt.
4. Put the pan on your stove and boil.
5. When water starts boiling you can set the heat down a bit.
6. Cook for about 15 minutes - pierce a potato with a knife - if its soft its done.
7. Pour away the extra water and (trick number two) return your potatoes back to the fire. This will evaporate some more water from the potatoes and it will make them taste better.
8. Be careful not to burn them.
9. Add some milk and butter and mash the potatoes.
10. Mash them as you like, maybe you like some bits and pieces, maybe you want them smooth and creamy.
11. (trick number three) You can even mix them with hand held blender to make them extra fluffy.
12. And the final trick - eat them.

Sure this is the most simple recipe, and there are many more ways to make mashed potatoes. Maybe we will try them some other time.

Huh, I just noticed - mashed-up-blog and mashed potatoes go great together.