Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

By á-1968

Recipe Type: Potato, Potato History
Menu: Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner
Yields: Makes 12 to 15 servings
Prep time: 20 min
Oven cook time: 40 min
Crock Pot (Slow Cooker) cook time: 3 hr

Ingredients

• 15 medium (5 pounds) potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 egg whites, slightly beaten
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup chopped chives (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

Preparing Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes:

Spray a large casserole dish or crockpot dish (if desired) with vegetable-oil cooking spray.

In a large pot of boiling water over medium-high heat, cook potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork; remove from heat and drain.

In the same cooking pan, mash potatoes with a potato masher, potato ricer (see below), fork, or beat with electric hand mixer. Mash potatoes until there are no lumps. NEVER use a blender or food processor to make mashed potatoes.

I personally use a potato ricer when making mashed potatoes. Using a potato ricer, you can make velvety smooth mashed potatoes right at home because potatoes come out fluffy without being gummy. Once you use the potato rice, you will never go back to the old traditional potato masher. If you don't have one and would like to purchase a potato ricer, check out What's Cooking America's Kitchen Store.

Add cream cheese, sour cream, onion powder, salt, pepper, egg whites, and chopped chives (if desired); blend well. Dot with butter.

Cool mashed potatoes slightly, cover, and then refrigerate.

The prepared mashed potatoes may be made up to a week ahead of time. If preparing ahead, place in an ovenproof baking dish, allow to cool slightly, cover, and refrigerate.



When ready to heat the potatoes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Take potatoes out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

Bake, loosely covered, 40 minutes or until steaming hot in center.




Crock-pot (Slow Cooker) Variation:

I, personally, like and use this crock pot version, as it frees up my oven for other dishes when making my holiday meals. Cooking the prepared mashed potatoes in the crock-pot is a great way to keep the oven freed up for the other dishes.

Take the prepared mashed potatoes out of refrigerator about 3-1/2 hours before serving time. See Preparing Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes above.

Place in crock-pot. Cover and cook on low heat for approximately 3 hours, stirring once or twice.

After potatoes are cooked, stir, and then add some additional dollops of butter just before serving.