Fancied Up Fake Potatoes (Oregano Experiment #1)

As some of you know, I'm growing herbs and a few other things this summer.  It's pretty exciting business, and every so often I send an excited text to a friend like "My cilantro is bolting!" or "My oregano thinks it owns the world!" or "Peppers are growing, peppers are growing!"

Anyway, my oregano DOES think it owns the world, and despite being Italian, I kinda missed the bus on oregano.  Basil has always been the herb of choice for my family.  But, so, I've got all this oregano and I decided it was time for experimentation.

This experiment went well and will satisfy you folks who have been asking for Quick and Easy.

Ingredients:

-Potato Flakes 

-Milk

-Water

-Butter

-a handful of fresh oregano 

-a clove or two of garlic

-salt and pepper.

Here's your story: the potato flake package can tell you how to build mashed potatoes out of them.  Most types involve first microwaving water-and-or-milk and then adding flakes.  This is the kind you need.

Get your bowl ready.  Put in your water-and-or-milk.  Then chop up a clove of garlic.  Very small!  The only cooking this garlic is getting is in the two minutes in the microwave, so it will have a zing.  You want very small pieces unless you're a garlic fiend like me, so it doesn't shock your delicate sensibilities.

Drop in the clove of garlic.  And take your fresh oregano and rip it up some with your fingers: this releases the flavory juiceness*.  Also, you probably don't want to be getting entire leaves in your potatoes, so rip it up nice and small.  Drop that into the bowl as well.

Then just prepare your potatoes according to the directions on your Potato Flake Package!  I recommend the addition of copious amounts of butter, salt, and pepper, because that's how I roll.

*Flavory juiceness: it's an industry term.