Reviving the Mashed

Reheating day-old mashed potatoes with some blue cheese and sour cream doesn’t just help restore them to some of their original glory; it makes them even better than they were before.

These creamy blue cheese potatoes get along best with a juicy burger sizzled in red wine and butter. Place the burger on top of the potatoes instead of using a bun. You may even give up buns forever.

Serve your wine burger and restyled potatoes with a green salad tossed in a light vinaigrette. This is a vanilla-ice-cream-and-chocolate-syrup-for-dessert kind of meal.

Wine Burgers With Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes

POTATOES

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 pound blue cheese, crumbled

Salt, pepper

* Combine potatoes, sour cream, blue cheese and salt and pepper in small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heat through, about 5 minutes. Keep warm.

BURGERS

1 pound lean ground beef

1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup red wine

2 green onions, chopped

* Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, salt and pepper and knead until mixture holds together. Form into 4 patties.

* Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and wine and swirl until butter melts. Add burgers and cook, turning once, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium.

* Serve each burger over 1/2 cup Blue Cheese Mashed Potatoes. Sprinkle green onions over top.

4 servings. Each serving: 560 calories; 1,424 mg sodium; 117 mg cholesterol; 38 grams fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 25 grams protein; 0.40 gram fiber.