Recipe(tried): Mashed Potatoes in Chowder

last year, at a friends house we were served a delicious seafood chowder. But the hostess unmolded (she must have used a 1 or 1-1/2 cup measure) hot mashed potatoes in the center of each of our soup bowls (the flatter ones) and then she ladled the chowder around it. I've done this with rice ....but had never done it with mashed potatoes. It was very good. We've since used this idea with several of our favorites - beef burgundy, a chicken, carrot,onion dish in a creamy sauce, etc.