Home - The Bates Kitchen

Hi! I’m Zach!

Husband + Dad of 5 that loves to cook!

“Thank you to my wife and children for being the best taste testing crew I’ve ever seen, and always being honest about what you think of my food.”

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Whitney joins me in the kitchen today to make the single most requested recipe I have ever shared. Whitney’s mashed potatoes.

No matter whether I am cooking on YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok, every time mashed potatoes are on the plate people ask for Whitney’s mashed potato recipe. These are our kids’ favorite mashed potatoes, and no matter how dressed up or elevated I try to make mashed potatoes, they still prefer mom’s simple, classic version every single time.

This is a creamy, buttery, smooth mashed potato recipe made with russet Idaho potatoes, real butter, and evaporated milk. It is easy to follow, easy to adjust, and truly never lets you down. No complicated techniques and no fancy ingredients. Just classic homemade mashed potatoes that work for weeknight dinners, Sunday meals, and holidays.

If you are searching for classic mashed potatoes, homemade mashed potatoes, creamy mashed potatoes, buttery mashed potatoes, mashed potatoes with evaporated milk, or a family favorite mashed potato recipe, this one is for you.

Whitney’s Classic Mashed Potatoes Recipe:

Ingredients
4 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut
1½ Tbsp kosher salt for the cooking water
2½ to 3 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup evaporated milk, room temperature
1 to 2 tsp kosher salt, to taste

Instructions
Cover potatoes with cold water and add 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until fork tender
Drain well and return potatoes to the hot pot to steam dry for 1 to 2 minutes
Mash or rice the potatoes while hot
Add butter first and mix until fully melted
Add evaporated milk gradually until creamy and smooth
Season with salt, then taste and adjust to preference

These mashed potatoes are perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Sunday dinner, or anytime you want true comfort food. They scale easily for a crowd and hold beautifully on the stove or in a warm oven.

If you make Whitney’s mashed potatoes, leave a comment and let us know. And if you enjoy family cooking, comfort food, and real life kitchen moments, make sure to subscribe.

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YouTube Video UExIVW1HRktUdW5wWkF4dXR3bDhYVUdzam9SZFlwQmx1Wi5ENDU4Q0M4RDExNzM1Mjcy

Whitney's Ultimate Mashed Potatoes! | No Fail Recipe for Buttery, Creamy, Pillowy Mashed Potatoes!

38.3K views December 13, 2025 6:16 pm

What’s New on Instagram

Sometimes it really is the little things…

#breakfast #brunch #griddle #dadlife #postpartum

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Open post by thebateskitchen with ID 17900160396285916

Sometimes it really is the little things…

#breakfast #brunch #griddle #dadlife #postpartum

Hard to beat back porch breakfasts on the griddle 🍳

#grill #breakfast #bacon #griddle

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Open post by thebateskitchen with ID 18071915204666208

Hard to beat back porch breakfasts on the griddle 🍳

#grill #breakfast #bacon #griddle

Happy Mother’s Day to the most beautiful wife and mother in my whole world. When I first met Whitney I saw the most beautiful, caring, and loving person I’d ever met. I loved how thoughtful and intentional she was, and I couldn’t get over her beautiful smile. Nothing in this world prepared me for how much I would love her as a mother though… Seeing the way our children look up to her, watching her remember the tiniest details that are so important to them, noticing how they laugh when she’s with them, and feeling way they miss her when she’s gone. I’m convinced that one of the most important parts of a family is the mother and our home couldn’t function without her. She is our kids biggest cheerleader no matter what they are doing or how much she has to work to make their dreams come true, she is the person they can’t wait to tell or show when anything exciting happens, and the first person they need when they are hurting. Looking back through photos I don’t see how you do what you do, but I hope you know that we love you more than anything. Thank you for being my wife, but thank you even more for being such an amazing mother to our children.

Proverbs 31:28-31 – Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

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Open post by thebateskitchen with ID 18082076207123984

Happy Mother’s Day to the most beautiful wife and mother in my whole world. When I first met Whitney I saw the most beautiful, caring, and loving person I’d ever met. I loved how thoughtful and intentional she was, and I couldn’t get over her beautiful smile. Nothing in this world prepared me for how much I would love her as a mother though... Seeing the way our children look up to her, watching her remember the tiniest details that are so important to them, noticing how they laugh when she’s with them, and feeling way they miss her when she’s gone. I’m convinced that one of the most important parts of a family is the mother and our home couldn’t function without her. She is our kids biggest cheerleader no matter what they are doing or how much she has to work to make their dreams come true, she is the person they can’t wait to tell or show when anything exciting happens, and the first person they need when they are hurting. Looking back through photos I don’t see how you do what you do, but I hope you know that we love you more than anything. Thank you for being my wife, but thank you even more for being such an amazing mother to our children.

Proverbs 31:28-31 - Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.
29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

If momma wants a pot roast, momma gonna get a pot roast! | have to admit, I love when she’s craving my cooking, and this is one of my favorite meals to cook! Also thanks to @smitheyironware for this beautiful Dutch oven, I’ve been dying to try it!

Recipe:
Select a 3.5-5 Ib chuck roast (or your favorite cut for roasts) and salt and pepper it well.
Cut and prepare your veggies
2 onion quartered,
2 cups carrots chopped roughly around 2”
1 small package (2-3 cups) baby yukon gold potatoes (I didn’t have any this time
3 stalks celery
6 cloves garlic
2 shallots quartered
Fresh thyme
Fresh Rosemary
2-3 parm rinds if available.
Place dutch oven on high heat and when heated add 2 Tbsp of @kettleandfire beef tallow
Sear pot roast approx 2-3 minutes on each side. (If you have exposed fat, or fat trimmings, you can render those first.) Place garlic and shallots in any crevices or fat folds you can find in the meat. Rub with Dijon mustard and set aside.
In the Dutch oven add carrots and brown for 2-3 minutes, then add celery and onion for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Place garlic and shallot in any crevices or meat folds and return seared roast to Dutch oven.
Add your parmesan rind.
Add Yukon Gold potatoes (if using)
Add rosemary and thyme.
Place in oven at 275 for 4-6 hours or 300 for 3-5 hours (l typically check meat for tenderness around 2-2.5 hours and check every 30 minutes to an hour

#potroast #dutchoven #homecooking #easydinners #easyrecipe

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Open post by thebateskitchen with ID 18211180261336939

If momma wants a pot roast, momma gonna get a pot roast! | have to admit, I love when she’s craving my cooking, and this is one of my favorite meals to cook! Also thanks to @smitheyironware for this beautiful Dutch oven, I’ve been dying to try it!

Recipe:
Select a 3.5-5 Ib chuck roast (or your favorite cut for roasts) and salt and pepper it well.
Cut and prepare your veggies
2 onion quartered,
2 cups carrots chopped roughly around 2”
1 small package (2-3 cups) baby yukon gold potatoes (I didn’t have any this time
3 stalks celery
6 cloves garlic
2 shallots quartered
Fresh thyme
Fresh Rosemary
2-3 parm rinds if available.
Place dutch oven on high heat and when heated add 2 Tbsp of @kettleandfire beef tallow
Sear pot roast approx 2-3 minutes on each side. (If you have exposed fat, or fat trimmings, you can render those first.) Place garlic and shallots in any crevices or fat folds you can find in the meat. Rub with Dijon mustard and set aside.
In the Dutch oven add carrots and brown for 2-3 minutes, then add celery and onion for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Place garlic and shallot in any crevices or meat folds and return seared roast to Dutch oven.
Add your parmesan rind.
Add Yukon Gold potatoes (if using)
Add rosemary and thyme.
Place in oven at 275 for 4-6 hours or 300 for 3-5 hours (l typically check meat for tenderness around 2-2.5 hours and check every 30 minutes to an hour

#potroast #dutchoven #homecooking #easydinners #easyrecipe

Pretty sure I’m gonna be making this all summer long. Tastes like vacation in a bowl!

Tropical Fruit Bowl:
1 honeygold pineapple
1 pink pineapple
2-3 mango
3-4 kiwi
2 dragon fruit
Strawberries
Juice from 1 lime
Drizzle of honey

#fruitsalad #fruit #fruitbowl #tropicalfruit #foodideas

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Open post by thebateskitchen with ID 18316069033258455

Pretty sure I’m gonna be making this all summer long. Tastes like vacation in a bowl!

Tropical Fruit Bowl:
1 honeygold pineapple
1 pink pineapple
2-3 mango
3-4 kiwi
2 dragon fruit
Strawberries
Juice from 1 lime
Drizzle of honey

#fruitsalad #fruit #fruitbowl #tropicalfruit #foodideas

There’s just nothing like the feeling of your newborn baby asleep in your arms. It’s something you feel in your soul and you never forget 🥹🥹

#newborn #dad #pregnancy #newbaby #love

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Open post by thebateskitchen with ID 18524099119075622

There’s just nothing like the feeling of your newborn baby asleep in your arms. It’s something you feel in your soul and you never forget 🥹🥹

#newborn #dad #pregnancy #newbaby #love

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