Happy Easter!

Easter is one of my favorite holidays. It's not as hectic as other holidays. All that's really involved is a good meal, and maybe church. If you're lucky, an Easter egg hunt. It's a relaxed time to be with family and indulge in some pastel colored marshmallows. It's the only holiday you can not only get away with, but are encouraged to wear a ridiculous(ly awesome) bonnet. You get to dye eggs into neon shades, and decorate them with stickers. It's totally acceptable to have chocolate for breakfast, as long as its in the shape of a lamb or a bunny.

Then there's the holy grail: Cadbury Eggs. I'm not talking about the gross kind with the gooey egg colored stuff inside. I'm talking about the delicious little milk chocolate ovals covered in a delightfully thin chocolate shell. I could eat an entire bag.

This year I'm spending the holiday in Hawaii with friends. We're making a big dinner together, and everyone is cooking up a dish. I plan to make the recipe below for Chipotle Cheddar Mashed Potatoes. They're spicy, they're cheesy, they're easy and they're delicious. The perfect salty antidote to the sugar high you had from eating half a box of peeps and jelly bellies before noon.

Chipotle Cheddar Mashed Potatoes

-2.5 pounds Yukon gold potatoes with skins, scrubbed and cut into 1 inch cubes. 

-2.5 tsp salt

-1 cup milk

-2 tbsp butter

-1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

-1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese (4oz)

-2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped (1tbsp)

-1 tsp adobo sauce from canned chipotle

1. In large saucepan, combine potatoes, 2 tsp salt, and enough cold water to cover potatoes.  Bring to boil over a high heat.  Reduce heat to medium; gently boil about 30 minutes or until fork-tender.

2. In small saucepan, combine milk, butter, cinnamon and remaining ½ tsp salt.  Bring to boil.  Set aside.

3. Drain potatoes.  Return potatoes to saucepan.  Place over medium heat; toss about 1 minute to dry out.  Remove from heat.  Add cheese; stir to combine.  Add milk mixture, chipotles and adobo sauce.  Mash.