Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes, while a common side dish for many meals, are mandatory for a complete Thanksgiving meal. Mom always made real mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving. Because mashed potatoes are so easy to make, there is no excuse for using boxed potato flakes.

Homemade mashed potatoes should be slightly lumpy, so don't worry about any lumps that might remain after mashing. Also, this recipe is very simple: potatoes, butter, and milk. It is easy to multiply to feed more or reduce down to a single serving. Decreasing the milk will result in stiffer mashed potatoes. Mom always peeled the potatoes, but sometimes a bit of peel adds a nice touch, so consider skipping the peel step or partially peel the potatoes. There are recipes that include fancier ingredients, such as, heavy cream, chicken stock, sour cream, or cream cheese. Those recipes are just fine, but Mom usually kept it simple.

Mashed Potatoes

• 4 medium potatoes
• 2-3 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Place the potato cubes in pot and cover with water. Bring the potatoes to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork. Drain the water from the potatoes and place the potatoes into a bowl.

Using a potato masher or a fork, begin to mash the potatoes. Then add the butter and continue to mash, until the potatoes are mostly mashed. Then add in milk and mix well. Use enough milk to obtain the desired consistency. Mix in salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!

Fried Rice

Mom loves Chinese food. When we were kids, ordering takeout from The Golden Wok was always a special treat. And, occasionally, Mom would make her own version of Chinese food.

Fried rice is an easy recipe that can be great for using up leftovers. You can throw any type of vegetable or meat into this dish. When I made this recipe, I used chicken leftover from a grocery store rotisserie chicken. Mom's recipe is a fairly basic recipe. With Thanksgiving coming up, turkey fried rice might be in my future. Mom's recipe just calls for bean sprouts, but other vegetables could be added in. In other words, this is a very flexible recipe.

Fried Rice

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 pound leftover beef, pork, chicken, ham, shrimp, or lobster 
• 4 cups cooked rice
• 1 can bean sprouts, drained
• 1/4 cup soy sauce

Scramble the eggs and cook in a hot, greased skillet. Add in meat, rice, and vegetables. Cook about 5 minutes or until heated through. Add soy sauce to taste. Enjoy!

Grandma Holmes's Caramel Cookie Bars

When I posted on Grandma Holmes's chocolate pie, MDS's sister Stephanie and cousin Chrissy immediately asked for information about Grandma Holmes's chocolate caramel bars. Luckily, Patti had the recipe, so now we can all enjoy these amazing bars. Now I understand why they inspire such devotion. If these bars were part of a Christmas cookie plate delivered to me, I would eat them first, especially to make sure that I got some before others dove in.

The recipe that Patti sent me calls for the use of a 9" x 13" pan. But I found that the recipe worked better with a 9" x 9" pan. For the caramels, I used a 9 ounce bag. It did take some time for the caramels to melt, but once they do melt, watch the caramels closely and stir frequently to avoid burning the caramel mixture.

Grandma Holmes's Caramel Cookie Bars 

• 32 light caramels 
• 2/3 cup evaporated milk 

Melt together in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often. This will take 15 - 20 minutes. While caramels melt, make the crust:

• 1 cup flour 
• 1/2 cup brown sugar 
• Dash of salt 
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda 
• 3/4 cup rolled oats 
• 3/4 cup butter 
• 6 oz. chocolate chips

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter until coarse and crumbly. Reserve 1/2 cup of oatmeal mixture for topping. Press the rest into a greased 9" x 9" pan. Bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle on 6 oz. chocolate chips. Spread on the caramel mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining oatmeal mixture. Put pan back in oven for 20 minutes. Refrigerate 2 hours before cutting into bars. Enjoy!