Mashed potatoes may be humble, but they are an integral part to many a holiday meal, and they are surprisingly easy to mess up.

Jessica Webster | AnnArbor.com

I've always loved mashed potatoes. Legend has it that one of my first food critiques involved telling my mother that her mashed potatoes were "almost as good as instant!" I still don't think that's the insult she seemed to think it was.

In my twenties, I spent a lot of time sampling mashed potatoes at diners and greasy spoons —especially the ones located near cool used record shops.

Mashed potatoes were my one big craving during my pregnancy. I couldn't get enough of them, even going so far as resorting to take-out KFC to fill my mashed potatoes needs. As an aside, did you know that Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants in Canada don't serve mashed potatoes? You can get poutine and gravy on your french fries, but you're out of luck if you're craving mashed. It's a crime, I tell you.

Why was I turning to diners and fast food chains for my mashed potato fixes? Because as much as I loved them, I was pretty terrible at making them. It seemed so easy: just boil some potatoes until they seemed done. I checked regularly, breaking the potatoes apart with my fork as they cooked. Once they seemed sufficiently mushy, I drained them, threw them in my Kitchen Aid mixer, and mixed away. I alternated milk and butter until the consistency seemed appropriate. The result? Well... are they supposed to make that thudding sound when they hit the plate?

A few years ago, my mother foolishly asked me to make the mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner. So much pressure! Potatoes and stuffing are by far the most important dishes in a turkey dinner. Not wanting to ruin the holiday meal, I turned to my trusty Bittman cookbook for advice.

Mark Bittman, who writes about food for the New York Times, has a lot to say about mashed potatoes. In his cookbook "How To Cook Everything," he starts by recommending that you choose a starchy potato. Russets and Idahos are top choices, but all-purpose potatoes like Yukon Golds work well too. His next advice made all of my mashed potato failures crystal clear: never use a mixer, and, for God's sake, stop poking them while they cook!

Using mixers, food processors or blenders to mash your potatoes will make them gummy. Bittman suggests using a ricer, food mill or potato masher instead. And poking your potatoes while they cook (or cutting them into smaller chunks before you boil them) will cause the potatoes to absorb more water, making them heavy and unappetizing.

Since seeking help for my mashed potato-making woes, I've been turning out consistently good spuds. Sometimes I'll add garlic. Sometimes I'll go extra-super-fancy and use truffle salt. You can play with the butter amount if you want decadent mashed potatoes or even replace the milk with cream if you want to go all out. Some of my friends recommend using both regular and sweet potatoes, though I've never tried that.

What are your mashed potato secrets? Do you add ingredients?  Bake the mashed potatoes once they're mashed? Let me know in the comments below.

Basic mashed potatoes, adapted from Mark Bittman's "How To Cook Everything"

2 pounds baking or all-purpose potatoes
3 tablespoons of butter
3/4 cup of milk, gently warmed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Peel the potatoes. Or don't, if you like peels in your mashed potatoes. Just be sure to scrub the potatoes well if you decide to leave the peels on.
2. Cut the potatoes into roughly similar sized chunks.
3. Put the potatoes in a deep pot and cover with cold, salted water and set to boil. Keep them at a rolling boil for 20-30 minutes, or until a skewer or sharp knife inserted into one meets almost no resistance.
4. When the potatoes are done, drain them, then mash them well. If you prefer lumpy mashed potatoes, mash them with a fork or potato masher. If you like them smooth and creamy, use a food mill or ricer.
5. Return the potatoes to the pot over very low heat and stir in the butter and — gradually — the warmed milk, beating with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, or keep warm over a double boiler.

If you like your mashed potatoes with some garlic flavor, peel a head or two of garlic and boil them along with the potatoes.

I usually double this recipe when cooking for 6-8 people.

Jessica Webster leads the Food & Drink section for the AnnArbor.com community team. You can reach her at jessicawebster@annarbor.com.