Cooking with Kristin: Loaded Mashed Potatoes

You may recall my parents' kitchen-aide mixer from our pretzel recipe, which makes delicious, buttery mall-pretzels without butter or weird-mall-additives.  Another one of the amazing things to come from their mixer is this recipe for loaded mashed potatoes.  I don't have a kitchen-aide or a hand-mixer, so I make these in the food processor, and they tend to come out more like a potato-puree than mashed potatoes.  I'm just fine with that (especially if it means I don't have to mash them by hand).  If you do mash them with a mixer or by hand, though, you might find it helpful to add 1/4 cup of milk or cream.

Loaded Mashed Potatoes (adapted from the Idaho Potato Commission)

• 2-1/2 pounds potatoes, cut into chunks 
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 16-ounce container of sour cream
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup bacon bits
• 1 thinly sliced scallion

Place potato chunks in a large soup pot and add just enough salted water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until tender (about 15-20 minutes); drain well and place in food processor. 

 

Add remaining ingredients and process (or beat with an electric mixer) until blended and smooth. Garnish with an extra sprinkling of shredded cheese and scallion slices.  Serve immediately.