Spudnut Donuts!

When I lived in the Tri-Cities, WA, there was this donut place that was super famous for it's potato donuts called Spudnuts. The spudnut donuts were so good! They are made with mashed potatoes and end up super soft and amazing. I remember that in school our teachers would always use them as rewards for contests and what not. For some reason those thoughts came back this weekend and Laura and I, with help from our friends the Frenzas, decided to try our hand at making some. So here is our version of Spudnut Donuts.

Spudnut Donuts

1 3/4 c. Milk
1/2 c. shortening
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. mashed potatoes (about 2 potatoes)
1 pkg. dry yeast
1/2 c. warm water
2 beaten eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
6 to 7 c. of flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 pinches of salt
lots of cooking oil

Peel and cube the potatoes then boil until soft, drain and mash until smooth. Over heat, mix the milk, sugar, and mashed potatoes. Take off heat and let cool. In a bowl sprinkle and mix yeast with the warm water. Let sit until the yeast activates (about 3-5 minutes). Add the yeast and water to the potato mixture. Add the beaten eggs, vanilla, salt, baking powder and 2 cups of the flower to the potato mixture and start mixing in a bread mixer. Continually add the flour a 1/2 cup at a time until the dough starts to pull away from the side of the bowl. Let sit in bowl and rise for a half hour.

Roll out the dough about 1/4" thick and cut with a donut cutter. Place cut donuts on wax paper, cover and let rise again for another half hour.

In a frying pan, heat up about 1 1/2 inches of cooking oil to 375 degrees. Drop a few donuts in the oil and turn when the bottoms become brown. When all cooked, place on a cooling rack. Brush with a little butter and dip in a cinnamon sugar mixture.

Enjoy!