Kid's Week: Sunshine Mashed Potatoes

This is a recipe I have been making since I was a kid. I remember my dad sliding a chair up to the counter so I could stand up on it to help him mash the potatoes. With my dad's strong arms around me, we worked together on mashing the potatoes with the potato masher, which I remember looking sort of like a metal squiggly line. With great effort, I would push the masher down into the bowl of soft steaming potatoes, and giggle when I couldn't pull the masher back up as it sat stuck in the potatoes. My dad cupped his hands around mine and helped me pull the masher back up. What makes them "sunshine" potatoes is the addition of steamed mashed carrots. It seemed like magic watching the potatoes turn a beautiful bright orange color as my dad and I mashed the carrots and potatoes together. When they were done and ready to be served, I remember feeling such a sense of pride and accomplishment at helping to create such a beautiful and tasty dish.

Once again, this is a fun way to mix in more veggies and bring some fun color to your food. The carrots also offer a subtle sweetness to the potatoes that make them hard to resist.

Sunshine Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
4-6 Medium to Large Potatoes
2-3 Large Carrots
4Tbls. (1/2 cube) Butter
½ cup milk (or Buttermilk)
1Tbls. Chicken Bullion
1tsp. Garlic powder
1tsp. salt

Fill a large pot with water and place it on the stove top and begin heating to a boil. While water is heating, peel potatoes and wash carrots. Cut potatoes and carrots into 1 inch chunks. When water is boiling add chunks to water and continue to boil until all potatoes and carrots are soft when poked with a fork. Drain in a colander and return to the pot.

Using a potato masher (or electric beater) mash the potatoes and carrots together.

Add butter, milk, chicken bullion, and garlic powder and continue mashing. As you continue to mix and mash, add more milk as necessary to get a light fluffy texture. Salt to taste.

Serve warm.