Jim Lavigne’s Tips For a Safe and Happy Christmas
-Remove covid mask when eating your turkey dinner the gravy will make it soggy and rip
-Under no circumstances should you pull your grand father’s, father’s or your uncles finger
-This year no kissing under the mistletoe, you can bump elbows but no prolonged rubbing the kids could be watching
-Watch out for rouge reindeer, if they can run over your grandma no one is safe
-I know you’re anxious but wait for a good snowfall before using your new sled or toboggan they don’t work very good on grassy hills
-Because coal is hard to come by these days use a couple of oreo cookies for eyes when you make a snowman. (Keep a bag handy no doubt someone will gab one for a quick snack while playing in ythe snow)
-If your snow angel comes out looking like a snow nothing just say you’re doing abstract snow art
-When mixing a rum and eggnog the eggnog is always optional
-No wrestling on boxing day
-Absolutely no nose picking or scratching certain areas while zooming with family and friends over the holidays
-And finally stay in your family bubble and have a very merry and safe Christmas
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BONUS BONUS BONUS
It’s time to take our favourite side dish and kick it up a notch.
Buttery Herbed Mashed Potatoes
INGREDIENTS
5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
kosher salt
1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
8 leaves fresh sage, 6 whole leaves + 1 Tbsp chopped)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3/4 cup crème fraîche
fresh black pepper
chopped fresh chives, for serving
INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a large pot of cold water, bring the potatoes and garlic to a boil. Salt the water and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the cream, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon chopped sage, and the thyme sprigs over medium heat until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and let the herbs sit in the warm cream until the potatoes are done. Remove the thyme sprigs before adding to the potatoes.
3. Drain the potatoes, return the potatoes to the pot and mash over low heat, or mash in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the herbed cream and crème fraîche.
4. In a skillet, melt 6 tablespoons butter and the sage leaves over medium heat until just browned. The butter will melt, foam and froth, then begin to brown along the bottom. Whisk browned bits off of the bottom of the pan. Remove the sage leaves. Pour the browned butter into the warm mashed potatoes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve the potatoes warm, topped with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, sage and fresh chopped chives
FLUFFY MASHED POTATOES WITH SOUR CREAM
INGREDIENTS
1 cup milk Don’t add all of the milk. Add half then add more to reach your desired consistency if necessary. See additional notes below.
3 lbs yukon potatoes or russet potatoes (peeled and quartered)
8 tbsp butter softened
1/2 cup sour cream plus additional 3 tbsp
salt and pepper for taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Add the peeled and quartered potatoes to a large pot. Fill the pot up with just enough cold water to cover the potatoes. Set the stove to medium high heat. Cook until the potatoes are soft enough to pierce easily with a fork. Drain.
Place the potatoes back into the pot and cover the potatoes for about 5 mins. Heat up the milk until it’s hot.
Pour half of the hot milk (see notes), softened butter and sour cream into the pot and mash until you get your desired consistency. If the mash is too thick, add a bit more milk until you get your desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with pats of butter
TIPS TO MAKE SOUR CREAM MASHED POTATOES
My secret ingredient is sour cream. Most mashed potato recipes call for milk and butter, but sour cream makes them so creamy with just enough tang. It also helps to cut down on the rich flavor.
Hot milk rather than room temperature milk should be used in this recipe.
Gradually add enough milk. You may need need the entire amount. Add just enough milk to make it smooth and creamy
When mashing your potatoes, you can use any kind of masher you may have handy, whether it be a hand masher, a ricer, or an electric hand mixer, but be careful not to over-mix or overwork your potatoes or your creamy mashed potatoes will become gummy!
For a personal twist and more flavor, fresh herbs and other flavors are some great add-ins.
Some herbs that go great with sour cream mashed potatoes are garlic (a classic!), chives, basil, rosemary, thyme, and parsley. Other additions you could explore are bacon, shallots, or Parmesan.
Cheesy Potato Casserole With Buttery Ritz Crackers.
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
10 tablespoons (1 stick + 2 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
3-4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon each garlic and onion powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
kosher salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (about 1 sleeve)
1 clove garlic, grated
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bring the potatoes to a boil in a large pot of cold water. Salt the water and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Drain the potatoes, return the potatoes to the pot and mash over low heat, adding 6 tablespoons butter, 3 cups cheddar cheese, yogurt, cream, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the potato mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with the the remaining 1/2 cup to 1 cup cheddar cheese.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the cracker crumbs, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and 4 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle the crackers evenly over the potatoes.
4. Cover the dish with foil. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, remove the foil and continue baking another 15 minutes, until the crackers are golden. Serve warm topped with fresh thyme and flaky sea salt.
INSTANT POT
1. Combine the potatoes and 1 1/2 cups water. Cover and cook on high pressure/manual for 12 minutes. Once done cooking, use the natural or quick release function and release the steam. Drain the potatoes well.
2. Finish as directed above from step 2 on.
RECIPE NOTES
To Make Ahead: Prepare the casserole through step 3. Cover and store the assembled casserole in the fridge for up to 2 days. To bake, remove the casserole from the fridge while the oven preheats, then bake as directed.
GARLIC RANCH MASHED POTATOES
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds red potatoes
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 (1-ounce) package Ranch Seasoning and Salad Dressing Mix
1/3 cup half and half*, or more, as needed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
DIRECTIONS:
Place potatoes and garlic in a large stockpot or Dutch oven; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain well and return to the stockpot.
Add Ranch Seasoning, half and half and butter; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend potatoes until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. If the mixture is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached.
Serve immediately, garnished with chives, if desired
