What did you cook or eat today (February 2024)?

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This was my dinner last night. Shrimp Mole. Wow, is that so good!!
Shrimp Mole.jpg
 
JAS_OH1 said:
Ah, okay. So what about the mashed potatoes did you like better with the stand mixer? I am always afraid to whip my potatoes lest they turn into glue, so I usually just mash the heck out of them with some cream and butter.
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Well, my original way was like you - whip by hand. However, me having wrist and shoulder issues, and my own innate laziness/impatience, they’d come out a little lumpy, which I actually preferred, because I like some texture to my taters.

MrsT, though, she likes them smoooooth, so I bought a food mill a few years ago and started using that - much quicker than by hand, much smoother result, and also a very consistent result. Crank them through the cutter disk, then add my butter and milk and finish by hand.

Food mills are, by nature, clunky and clangy with lots of pieces that have to fit together just so, and they’re messy, with bits of potato escaping the bowl, going all over the countertop and floor when trying to scrape off the bottom of the cutting disk, and it was had to keep it in place without sliding around on top of whatever bowl or pot I was making them in - it was fast and easy to get perfect results, but it resulted in a lot of mess and frustration.

The stand mixer was the best of both worlds - no fuss, no muss, and the machine did all the work. In with the potatoes, beat with the flat beater on 2 for a minute or so, then in with the whisk and whisk on 8 for a minute or so, then in with the milk and butter and seasonings and whisk again on 4 until everything is mixed in, a couple of minutes longer.

I don’t think there’s much danger of turning them into glue, I don’t think it’s mixing nearly fast enough for long enough to do that. That’s what happens if you try them in the food processor - it just goes too fast at too high a speed to have any control.

Anyway, the final product was very smooth, and I didn’t have potatoes flying everywhere, or a fiddly apparatus sliding every which way, no potatoes failing to go through the food mill cutter…it all came together perfectly and faster than the food mill, with no hand work at all.
 
TastyReuben said:
Well, my original way was like you - whip by hand. However, me having wrist and shoulder issues, and my own innate laziness/impatience, they’d come out a little lumpy, which I actually preferred, because I like some texture to my taters.

MrsT, though, she likes them smoooooth, so I bought a food mill a few years ago and started using that - much quicker than by hand, much smoother result, and also a very consistent result. Crank them through the cutter disk, then add my butter and milk and finish by hand.

Food mills are, by nature, clunky and clangy with lots of pieces that have to fit together just so, and they’re messy, with bits of potato escaping the bowl, going all over the countertop and floor when trying to scrape off the bottom of the cutting disk, and it was had to keep it in place without sliding around on top of whatever bowl or pot I was making them in - it was fast and easy to get perfect results, but it resulted in a lot of mess and frustration.

The stand mixer was the best of both worlds - no fuss, no muss, and the machine did all the work. In with the potatoes, beat with the flat beater on 2 for a minute or so, then in with the whisk and whisk on 8 for a minute or so, then in with the milk and butter and seasonings and whisk again on 4 until everything is mixed in, a couple of minutes longer.

I don’t think there’s much danger of turning them into glue, I don’t think it’s mixing nearly fast enough for long enough to do that. That’s what happens if you try them in the food processor - it just goes too fast at too high a speed to have any control.

Anyway, the final product was very smooth, and I didn’t have potatoes flying everywhere, or a fiddly apparatus sliding every which way, no potatoes failing to go through the food mill cutter…it all came together perfectly and faster than the food mill, with no hand work at all.
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Yes, I prefer them a little bit textured as well, not snooth, but with a few soft, tiny lumps I don't know if Mr OH prefers them smooth because I never asked and he doesn't complain. It's good to know that this can be done in the stand mixer. This would be useful when cooking for a group especially. Right now with jus the two of us I'm only cooking 3-4 small-to-medium potatoes at a time. Thanks for the tip!
 
On the subject of potatoes: our nephew had a small family dinner for his wife's birthday yesterday and he broke out the smoker. He smoked ribs, potatoes, and corn on the cob. The ribs and corn were great, but the potatoes were HUGE and didn't get put in fast enough to completely cook. He was just so upset about everything not being perfect. People just put their potatoes in the microwave and it was fine. He had 6 monster potatoes left and was going to just chuck them in the trash. I took 3 of them and I'm going to make potato hash for breakfast with runny eggs on top and maybe make a small scalloped potato side dish with the rest tomorrow. I gave him some ideas of how he could use them and not waste that delicious smoky flavor he created. I hope he didn't throw the corn away, he could slice it off the cab and make a smoked creamed corn dish.
 
TastyReuben said:
Well, my original way was like you - whip by hand. However, me having wrist and shoulder issues, and my own innate laziness/impatience, they’d come out a little lumpy, which I actually preferred, because I like some texture to my taters.

MrsT, though, she likes them smoooooth, so I bought a food mill a few years ago and started using that - much quicker than by hand, much smoother result, and also a very consistent result. Crank them through the cutter disk, then add my butter and milk and finish by hand.

Food mills are, by nature, clunky and clangy with lots of pieces that have to fit together just so, and they’re messy, with bits of potato escaping the bowl, going all over the countertop and floor when trying to scrape off the bottom of the cutting disk, and it was had to keep it in place without sliding around on top of whatever bowl or pot I was making them in - it was fast and easy to get perfect results, but it resulted in a lot of mess and frustration.

The stand mixer was the best of both worlds - no fuss, no muss, and the machine did all the work. In with the potatoes, beat with the flat beater on 2 for a minute or so, then in with the whisk and whisk on 8 for a minute or so, then in with the milk and butter and seasonings and whisk again on 4 until everything is mixed in, a couple of minutes longer.

I don’t think there’s much danger of turning them into glue, I don’t think it’s mixing nearly fast enough for long enough to do that. That’s what happens if you try them in the food processor - it just goes too fast at too high a speed to have any control.

Anyway, the final product was very smooth, and I didn’t have potatoes flying everywhere, or a fiddly apparatus sliding every which way, no potatoes failing to go through the food mill cutter…it all came together perfectly and faster than the food mill, with no hand work at all.
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My partner got me a Le Crueset masher. I thought it was a waste of money but it is designed differently. It is a plate with holes in it so it does a much better job with less work. Other companies have copied the design so you can get one much cheaper now.. I had to admit that it was better than my old classic..
 
JAS_OH1 said:
On the subject of potatoes: our nephew had a small family dinner for his wife's birthday yesterday and he broke out the smoker. He smoked ribs, potatoes, and corn on the cob. The ribs and corn were great, but the potatoes were HUGE and didn't get put in fast enough to completely cook. He was just so upset about everything not being perfect. People just put their potatoes in the microwave and it was fine. He had 6 monster potatoes left and was going to just chuck them in the trash. I took 3 of them and I'm going to make potato hash for breakfast with runny eggs on top and maybe make a small scalloped potato side dish with the rest tomorrow. I gave him some ideas of how he could use them and not waste that delicious smoky flavor he created. I hope he didn't throw the corn away, he could slice it off the cab and make a smoked creamed corn dish.
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Potatoes baked in their skins (then refrigerated til wanted) make the best skin on sauté potatoes I’ve ever had.
I kid you not, I don’t make them any other way now.
 
SandwichShortOfAPicnic said:
Potatoes baked in their skins (then refrigerated til wanted) make the best skin on sauté potatoes I’ve ever had.
I kid you not, I don’t make them any other way now.
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The only time I peel potatoes is for mashed potatoes, and I don't peel them for mash if they're red skinned or baby potatoes. I love the skin!
 
JAS_OH1 said:
On the subject of potatoes: our nephew had a small family dinner for his wife's birthday yesterday and he broke out the smoker. He smoked ribs, potatoes, and corn on the cob. The ribs and corn were great, but the potatoes were HUGE and didn't get put in fast enough to completely cook. He was just so upset about everything not being perfect. People just put their potatoes in the microwave and it was fine. He had 6 monster potatoes left and was going to just chuck them in the trash. I took 3 of them and I'm going to make potato hash for breakfast with runny eggs on top and maybe make a small scalloped potato side dish with the rest tomorrow. I gave him some ideas of how he could use them and not waste that delicious smoky flavor he created. I hope he didn't throw the corn away, he could slice it off the cab and make a smoked creamed corn dish.
Click to expand...
20240219_121536.jpg
 
A breakfast bar, oat milk latte from the hospital costa's, a chicken roll and two overcooked egg bites.

The most uninspiring eating I've done in a while, I think an Easter Egg would fix that but I really have bought only just enough for the people who should have one.. or.. now I think about it should they..? 😆
 
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