Deedles, I didn't think they were either, the fluffed up nicely, but were still substantial, and not like lead sinkers! SJG, rather then interlocking the sheets by a slight vertical offset, they were installed in a straight line with loose tiles to fill in the gaps. So instead of a seamless pattern I have a striped one. There are pics posted if you want to see. Autumn4, mine ended up kind of like gravy. I just kept stirring, and eventually decided it wasn't getting any thicker. I did use whole milk though. I figured since I took a pass on the canned soup I'd throw caution to the wind and live a little! I'm curious to hear how yours came out! We just finished the leftovers and it heated up very well. I wish my stomach was a little bigger, my mouth wants more.

I make stew at work. We use scrap sirloin for it. I boil the meat until it is tender. I take that and put it in my pan and keep it hot. Then I do the carrots in the beef broth. They take longer to cook then the potatoes and onions. When the carrots are done I put them in with the meat. Then I do the potatoes and onions. Unless I have enough room in the kettle for all of them then I just start with the carrots and add the potatoes and onions after a bit so they all get done at the same time. Then I make my gravy with the broth and I add some bouillion if it does have enough flavor. I also add some Worcestershire to it. I get lots of compliments on it. We serve biscuits with it. I don't even own a crock pot. Dh wouldn't eat much I would cook in it anyway.

I season the meat with salt, pepper, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce, then use one packet of brown gravy mix, one packet of onion soup mix, 1.5 cups of water.... I also quarter a medium onion and drop it into the crock pot. I add potatoes (peeled and sliced the long way) and carrot chunks. I've never had complaints and it's always gone in short order! This post was edited by chloe_cat on Mon, Dec 22, 14 at 23:53

I add sour cream (or drained kefir curd) and cream cheese to make freezer mashed potatoes. I think this mixture will last in the freezer longer and not be as "wet" after it is thawed. I normally use Yukon Gold potatoes, since that's what I grow. I'll use the larger potatoes for Twice Baked, and most of the rest of the crop gets used for Freezer Mashed Potatoes and boiled herbed potatoes, which I freeze and then pan fry. It's difficult to keep Yukon Gold potatoes for very long in storage after they are harvested, so I freeze the majority of my small crop. Our son gave us 40-pounds of blue potatoes from his garden and I've been converting them for the freezer, too. I've also been using them to make microwave potato chips ;-). Here's a bit of information about the 6 types of potatoes and how to use them, and why one variety will work better for some applications that other varieties. As plllog pointed out, it's also about what potato you use. http://www.all-about-potatoes.com/types-of-potatoes.html -Grainlady