The Cook & Kitchen Staff are offering you four different Thanksgiving Day Dinner menus during November, and were in the middle of the side dishes for our final recipe collection, featuring a "Thanksgiving Day Dinner on the Farm." Thanksgiving is a time of tradition, and with tradition come expectations. When you elect to prepare a holiday feast as prepared on many a farm table, freshly harvested and mashed potatoes are a necessity. They're also a perfect nest for another heaping portion of that pan-roasted gravy you've so painstakingly prepared.

Place potatoes in large pot and add enough lightly salted water to cover potatoes. Start at a high heat setting, then reduce the heat to medium-high and loosely cover the pot. Cook 20 minutes or until very tender. Drain potatoes in colander. Return cooked potatoes to the same pot and stir over medium heat for about 1 minute, until excess water has evaporated. With a potato masher or hand-held electric mixer, mash in the hot milk, butter, salt, and pepper. Beat with a wooden spoon or mixer until potatoes are smooth and creamy. Stir in any optional additions, if desired. Remove potatoes to a serving bowl and place a pat of sweet creamery butter in the center to melt down from the top of the heaping bowl. Serve warm.

Posted to dailyrecipe@recipe-a-day.com by Recipe-a-Day <recipe-a-day@bignetwork.com> on Nov 22, 1998, converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.