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1
Peel potatoes, boil until fork tender, and then mash with plenty of butter and some warmed whole milk or cream.
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2
If you don't have either any, STOP, grab your keys and get to the store.
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Salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
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4
Mix the ground beef, onion soup mix, and egg.
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Form into patties and fry in a cast iron skillet.
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And, yes, you do need to use a cast iron skillet.
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7
It just doesn't taste like Mom's otherwise.
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When patties are nearly done, top each one with a hungry-man dollop of mashed potatoes and a generous handful of shredded cheese.
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9
Mom always used mild cheddar.
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Cover loosely with aluminum foil until cheese is melted.
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Serve with fresh green beans or peas and carrots.
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VARIATIONS
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You can turn this into a more sophisticated dish if you must.
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Here are some ideas:
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* Use equal parts ground sirloin, ground pork, and ground veal (beefy, flavorful, and good texture, respectively).
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I suppose you could try ground turkey, but it just won't taste right.
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Don't overmix; use a folding action to blend your ingredients.
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* Omit the Lipton Onion Soup Mix and use something more culturally relevant to you for seasoning.
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* Add some roasted garlic and fresh basil chiffonade to your potatoes at mashing time.
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A chiffonade of herb is created by stacking the leaves neatly, rolling them tightly, and the slicking across the rolled leaves to create fine herbal ribbons.
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* Substitute gruyere or asadero in place of the mild cheddar.
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If you go with asadero, use Crema Mexicana in place of whole milk in your mashed potatoes.
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Come to think of it, toss in some oregano and chili powder.
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* As you can see for the variations, this dish blank canvas.
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Make it your own!
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Your kids will love you for it.
