This recipe is specially for Alyssa, who does love her mashed potatoes.

Peel and cook several russet (white) potatoes.

When they are done, drain off all the cooking water.

Return the pan with the potatoes to the stove and shake the pan over the heat until every last bit of liquid has evaporated.

This is the secret to good fluffy mashed potatoes.

Add two or three tablespoons butter and a little milk and mash either by hand or with a mixer.

Add more milk a little at a time until they reach the consistency you like.

Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with a small chunk of butter on top and, if you want to be fancy, sprinkle with some paprika.

There are a lot of other things that can be added (cheese, a little garlic) and at our house we use fresh chives when they first come up in the spring.

It’s sort of a sign that spring has finally arrived.

When I was growing up, Christmas dinner always included potatoes cooked with a few rutabagas which were then mashed together with butter and milk (or cream).

Evidently, this was an old Norwegian delicacy and Christmas custom, and it was good.