Mashed Turnips

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 turnips, they became converts.

Here goes -- this recipe is enough for at least 8 servings:

Get three large turnips -- 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 1 tablespoon 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. If you don't mind a bit of texture, you can use a hand masher, or even better, a stand-mixer.

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

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!