Mashed Rutabaga

This is a Thanksgiving tradition from the German side of my family (Mom's side) -- I must admit that as a kid, I never tried these but when I finally did, I was SO sad about all the years I missed. I've made these for many people over the years, and while they weren't happy about having to try rutabaga, many became converts.

Here goes -- this recipe is enough for at least 10-12 servings:

Get three large rutabaga-- get the round ones that are light orange and purple-ish on the outside. Peel them, cut in to 1 inch cubes, and put them into a large pot, cover with water (there should be at least 3 inches of water over the top of the turnips, but more is fine too), and throw in 2 tablespoons of salt.

Take 3 medium sized potatoes (I like yukon gold best, but anything is fine), peel them, and throw them into the pot whole.

Bring this up to a boil, and boil on low heat for a full hour.

Drain the turnips and potatoes and shake out as much water as you can.

If you want REALLY smooth turnips, put the mixture through a ricer or use your food processor. If you don't mind a bit of texture, you can use a hand masher, or even better, a stand-mixer.

Add 1 stick of butter, 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper, and blend or mash until you are happy with the texture.  Add more mik or butter if desired.  

Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed -- but don't add salt at first -- the turnips and potatoes will have absorbed a good deal from the salted water. You may not need any more.

These can be made a day or two in advance and reheated either in a pot or microwave. If reheating in a pot, add a little bit of milk; if reheating in the microwave, stir after each minute to distribute heat throughout the whole dish.

Enjoy!