Creamy Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

As a Tater Lover of the first order I'm always looking for new ways to make the mighty spud. I'm also a HUGE fan of fresh Parmesan cheese so combining these two was a no-brainer. If you're like me you may want to take the time to grate a little extra Parmesan cheese to make up for all of the sampling you'll do of this wonderfully tangy cheese! These potatoes tasted wonderful with the ribs we had last week and they tasted just as good as I ate the leftovers the next day while watching my Nate Berkus. Taters and my Nater ... perfection! You can easily change up this recipe depending on what kind of potato you use. If you' want to add some colour to your side dish then use red potatoes and keep the skins on.

This side dish has a nice tang from the Parmesan and the sour cream and would accompany most meats quite nicely.

1 1/2 lbs potatoes - red or white (peeled or unpeeled)

1/2 cup milk (or half-and-half creamer)

4 tbsp butter

1/4 cup sour cream (I use full 14% fat sour cream)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp salt

freshly ground black pepper

Garnish - fresh chives (optional)

In a large pot of water, cook potatoes until tender - approximately 25-30 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to the pot. Add milk and butter. Using a hand masher, mash potatoes until you get the desired texture. Do not overbeat or use electric beaters. Depending on the type of potatoes you use they can come out gummy and gross.

Add sour cream, Parmesan cheese and salt & pepper. Mix well. If the potatoes are a little too thick feel free to add some more milk. Sprinkle with fresh chives, if using. Serve immediately.