2/11/2012 and 2/4/2012 Baskets - Baked Mashed Potates and Roasted Asparagus

Baked Mashed Potatoes
Uses: Potatoes

• 6 medium potatoes, pared, cooked and drained
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 oz cream cheese
• 3 T butter
• paprika

Mash potatoes until light and fluffy. Add salt, pepper, sour cream, and cream cheese and beat until well blended. Taste to check seasoning, adjust if necessary. Put in buttered 2 quart casserole dish. Dot with butter and sprinkle with paprika (no need to skimp here). Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Not great for you, but with sour cream AND cream cheese in this recipe, now I can hardly eat mashed potatoes any other way.

Roasted Asparagus
Uses: Asparagus

• 1 pound pencil-thin asparagus spears
• 2 T butter
• salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rinse & drain asparagus and snap off ends. Arrange the spears in a 9x13 glass or ceramic baking dish. Melt butter and drizzle over asparagus. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake until tender, about 15 minutes (less for thinner spears, more for thicker spears). Serve immediately.

Simple but oh so delicious!