Classic Mashed Potatoes

The traditional way to make creamy mashed potatoes is to add loads of butter and cream. But that can hide the flavor of the potatoes, so in this episode of MDRN KTCHN, host Scott Heimendinger explains how a common ingredient called diastatic malt powder can be used to make incredibly smooth and creamy mashed potatoes on the molecular level. You can check out the full recipe here, and buy diastatic malt powder here. Want to learn more? Come back every Sunday for a new episode of MDRN KTCHN, and check out Modernist Cuisine's new cookbook, Modernist Cuisine at Home!

This comforting tomato soup is super easy and super delicious. Canned San Marzano tomatoes marry with soft, sautéed onions and garlic, a pinch of red pepper, and chicken broth to create a soothing, savory bowl. Finished with a bit of cream, this is begging for a grilled cheese sandwich on the side. But really, it tastes great with lots of things, as well as on its own (though a basil and Parmesan garnish doesn't hurt).

Sunset magazine food editor Margo True has learned the rights and wrongs of mashed potatoes from a reliable source—her mother. Here, she demonstrates the wrong way (undercooking waxy potatoes, skimping on the cream, or, horror of all horrors, employing a food processor to mash) and the right way (using russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, cooking them as long as possible, drying them over heat before adding lots of cream, and topping with herbs). This approach elevates mashed potatoes to their rightful status as much more than a side dish. (Click here for Margo's mashed potatoes recipe.)

Timing all the dishes for your Thanksgiving dinner can be tricky. Amy Wisniewski, food editor at CHOW.com, has a quick, easy solution to reheating mashed potatoes without drying them out or burning them. For more Thanksgiving video tips from CHOW, see If You Break It, Fake It: How to Avoid Thanksgiving Cooking Disasters.