Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I trust that you are all prepared for the big turkey day. I am getting there. I am trying very hard to stay calm. We are hosting my family’s Thanksgiving again this year. We won’t have the entire clan but there will still be about 36 people. Of course, we split up the cooking, but it is a lot of work, regardless. There is still a turkey to cook along with some sides and desserts. I am currently doing the obligatory house cleaning and furniture moving. I do have to move some items out of the living room to make way for extra tables and chairs. It is a good thing that we all like each other because it is pretty cozy when we are all here. But it is fun, and we wouldn’t think of ending this tradition. When we get together there is so much laughter and story-telling that you can barely hear the football games on TV. We are a loud bunch. Our menu is packed with all the standards. Turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, and mashed potatoes. In fact, we usually have two big old crockpots full of these very special mashed potatoes.
It is the mashed potatoes that I want to talk about today. Anyone who has prepared a big holiday meal knows what a hassle it is to peel, cook, drain and mash a big old pile of taters right before your guests arrive. And, in my family, using instant is not an option. So, a few years ago I ran across this recipe for mashed potatoes that could be made a day or two ahead of time and then reheated in the crockpot. It was a little daring of me to try them out at a family gathering because some of the ingredients are not typical for this side dish. My mom and grandmothers and probably great-grandmothers all made their mashed potatoes with a minimum of ingredients. Just taters, butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Now, that version is really good, and I have never been known to turn down a helping or two. But these are a dressier, fancier version and the extra ingredients help them keep well and reheat well.
You will need taters (duh), cream cheese, butter, salt and pepper, sour cream and milk. I usually use russet potatoes for this. They seem to turn out fluffier. It is always difficult (for me anyway) to judge how many potatoes to use because some are huge, and some are not. I am going to say that you need at least 8 pretty large potatoes for this. I typically cook 8 to 10. You can kind of guess how many your crockpot will hold. I use the larger 6-quart crockpot but if you have a smaller one you can adjust the measurements or just save some back in a container in the fridge and reheat them in the oven or microwave.
I have always placed the finished potatoes in a crockpot, but I do know that you can put them in a baking dish and reheat in the oven. That would make them more like the filling in a twice-baked potato which would also be delicious. But, since oven space is usually at a premium on Thanksgiving Day, the crockpot is a better option for me. Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes can be prepared a day or two ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until the day of your big event. This side dish is easy and delicious. The potatoes are so flavorful and stay creamy, buttery and moist. You will be delighted to have the extra time to enjoy your guests and family.
Start off by washing and peeling the potatoes. Cut them into chunks about 1-inch square or so. Put these in a large stockpot. Add water so that the chunks are covered by about an inch of water. I like to add a couple of chicken bouillon cubes to my water when I boil potatoes but that isn’t necessary. It does add some nice flavor, though. Bring this to a boil over high heat. If you are antsy about getting that water boiling you can put a lid on to speed up the process. Just keep watch so that you don’t get a boilover incident. Once the water begins to boil remove the lid if you are using one. Cook the potatoes, stirring a couple of times, for about 10 to 15 minutes or until they are fork-tender.
Put a colander in your sink and pour the potatoes in being careful not to get burned by the hot water or steam. Let the taters drain a bit but don’t rinse them or anything.
Once drained pretty well, add the potatoes to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.
Add ½ cup sour cream, 1 stick of softened butter and 8 oz. (1 brick) of softened cream cheese, ½ cup milk, 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Go slow though and only add a little milk at a time. You don’t want potato soup here. This time I only needed 1/4 cup milk. Mix all of this on low, scrape the sides and then turn up the speed of your mixer. Mix everything until well combined and smooth, scraping when necessary. You can add more milk at this point if needed to give you a nice smooth consistency. You never can tell with mashed potatoes. Every batch is different. Give them a taste to see if you need more salt and/or pepper.
Once you are satisfied with the flavor spoon the mashed potatoes into your crockpot. Cover tightly with foil and place in your fridge until about 4 hours before your meal. Then, let the pot sit on the counter uncovered for about an hour to come closer to room temperature. Put the lid on and turn the crockpot on low and heat the potatoes for about 2 hours. My current crockpot does not run really hot but my previous one did, so the heat time was very different. You will have to judge the time for yourself. Just keep an eye on it and check the temperature in the middle once in a while and watch that the edges are not scorching. It doesn’t matter if the edges get a little browned. Some of your guests may like that crusty baked edge. It is pretty delicious. Anyway, once the potatoes are warmed through melt ½ stick of butter and stir it into the delicious warm loveliness. Put the lid back on and turn your pot to warm until time to eat. Serve to your loved ones and guests secure in the knowledge that these are some of the best mashed potatoes that they will ever eat. See how easy that is? And, you didn’t have to waste your precious holiday time preparing them. I wish that I had a picture to add of a big old scoop alongside the turkey but I wanted to get this post out today so you can make them up tonight.
I hope that you all have a great Thanksgiving. Relax and enjoy the day. If you are going out to do any Black Friday shopping be careful and I hope you find some bargains!
Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 8 – 10 russet potatoes large
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup milk 2% or whole
- 1/2 stick butter melted for the day of serving
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut them into chunks about 1-inch square or so. Put them in a large stockpot. Add water so that the chunks are covered by about an inch of water. Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When the potatoes are cooked, drain them thoroughly and then put them into the bowl of your stand mixer or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer.
- Add ½ cup sour cream, 1 stick of softened butter and 8 oz. (1 brick) of softened cream cheese, ½ cup milk (a little at a time – you may not need the entire 1/2 cup), 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Mix all of this on low, scrape the sides and then turn up the speed of your mixer. Mix everything until well combined and smooth, scraping when necessary. You can add more milk at this point if needed to give you a nice smooth consistency. Give them a taste to see if you need more salt and/or pepper.
- Spoon the mashed potatoes into your crockpot. Cover tightly with foil and place in your fridge until about 4 hours before your meal.
- A few hours before your meal you can start the heating process. Let the pot sit on the counter uncovered for about an hour to come closer to room temperature. Put the lid on and turn the crockpot on low and heat the potatoes for about 2 hours. The time will depend on how hot your crockpot runs. Keep an eye on it and check the temperature in the middle once in a while and watch that the edges are not scorching. It doesn’t matter if the edges get a little browned.
- Once the potatoes are warmed through melt ½ stick of butter and stir it in. Put the lid back on and turn your pot to warm until time to eat.
