Mashed potatoes are my favorite part of the Thanksgiving Feast.  Not only are they terribly decadent, they’re also the perfect vehicle for homemade turkey gravy.  My mashed potatoes get a little tang from sour cream and some extra flavor from two heads of roasted garlic - adding a wonderfully mild yet rich hint to these already special spuds. 

Perfect Mashed Potatoes

• 2 lbs Organic Yukon Golds 
• 8 ounces Sour Cream - warmed 
• 1 stick butter - melted
• 2 heads roasted garlic - cloves squeezed from the head
• salt and pepper to taste 

You can peel your potatoes if you like smooth mashed potatoes, but I prefer the more rustic appeal of mashed potatoes with the skin - and it’s less work! Just make sure to use a potato with a thin skin like Yukon Gold.

Chop the potatoes into 1 1/2 inch thick slices.  Place them in a large pot and cover them with cold, salted water.  Bring them to a simmer and allow them to cook for about 20 minutes, or until a fork can puncture the potatoes easily. 

Drain the potatoes and beat them with the rest of the ingredients - you can use an electric mixer or a potato masher.  Whatever you have on hand!  Make sure to season with plenty of salt and pepper, and voila!  You can make these while your turkey is roasting and keep them covered on the stovetop. Just make sure to reheat and give them a good stir before serving! 

I’m usually a vinaigrette kind of girl, but boy do I hate to waste ingredients. So whenever I have buttermilk around from baking or pancakes, I make a jar of Buttermilk Ranch Dressing to use up the rest of the carton.  And guess what? It’s almost as easy as opening up a bottle of the store-bought stuff that usually contains MSG and loads of preservatives.  Watch the video and learn how to make my version of this decadent dressing (recipe below).  And here’s a tip: marinate organic chicken breasts in the dressing for at least four hours, then grill.  You won’t be disappointed!

BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING RECIPE: 

• 1 C. Organic Buttermilk 
• 1/2 C. Sour Cream 
• 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard 
• pinch of salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. granulated garlic 
• 1 TBSP minced shallot 
• 2 TBSP fresh chives, chopped 
• 1 tsp. fresh dill, chopped

Whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, vinegar, and mustard until combined.  Add the remaining ingredients,  and whisk again.  Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste. Serve over an iceberg wedge, bibb lettuce, garden tomatoes, or as a marinade for chicken or pork!