Make-Ahead Creamy Mashed Potatoes

I made several "new" recipes for Christmas dinner this year and after taking a poll, this was people's favorite item of the whole dinner! I know they don't look like much but these potatoes were amazing. They were like Twice Baked Potatoes only no skin. I wanted a potato dish that was flavorful enough that you could eat them plain with no gravy or anything on them and BINGO, these were it. And I wanted some that I could make ahead of time.  That was the theme of my Christmas dinner - Make Ahead.  On Christmas, you don't want to be spending all your time in the kitchen when you're hosting a Christmas party.  I want to be able to join in the fun!  We had ten people here for Christmas which is a small number for my family so thus, I felt like experimenting a bit.  We had our usual Mustard Crusted Beef Tenderloin  along with horseradish and mustard sauces, another new recipe for peas that was a hit, a green salad with pears and apple and pomegranate dressing that was a little too soggy for my taste but the flavors were great, and another family favorite of Rhodes Dough dinner rolls.

They taste just like homemade and super easy.

And I can't forget the family favorite, the Red Raspberry Gelatin Salad.

Raspberry was the theme this year for Christmas dinner since I also made the same cocktail as last year, Raspberry Brown Sugar Bourbon Fizz 

and I attempted to make a raspberry dessert of individual raspberry Baked Alaska, but they were a flop but don't they look cute? 

They still tasted good and we ate them anyway but I learned that you can't make the meringue ahead of time and leave it in the refrigerator overnight and still use it to protect the ice cream from the heat as you bake them. They melted all over the pan, unfortunately! ha ha ha But they were still delicious and to tell you the truth, we were all so full from dinner and Christmas cookies and almond roca...well, who really needed more dessert, I mean really? I made all my usual Christmas cookies this year and of course, Bruce's almond roca is always plentiful. 

But the individual Baked Alaskas were a fun experiment, just not a good "make ahead" dessert option. We did our usual gift exchange which were really good gifts this year. 

 

We do a White Elephant gift exchange where you wrap something you already have at home to give to someone else and you can steal someone else's gift one time. 

 

I ended up with some LED gloves which were an interesting item, I must say. They were fun to play with out on the deck. 

 

Bruce got a microwave popcorn maker with some popcorn which we don't have so that's a good one.

In the morning, Lauren came over and we opened presents after having breakfast of bacon and eggs that Bruce made for us. 

 

Lauren liked her new tool box she got from Bruce

and a cute outfit I got her that I ordered from a fashion blogger I like to read who has the same taste in clothing as Lauren and makes shopping extremely easy.

Bruce liked his new golf pants I got him, per Nick's suggestion since Nick has the same pair. Thanks, Nick! He loves them. 

 

And I really liked my new framed photos.

My nephew's family brought Christmas crackers for everyone that were placed at the table settings along with each's almond roca that Bruce and I provide. 

Each cracker contained a small gift and a joke; our gifts were these cute little crowns to wear and key chains 

and the jokes were funny Christmas jokes.

Our Christmas table setting is as festive as our Christmas evening.

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Merry Christmas!

Make-Ahead Creamy Mashed Potatoes

adapted from Ina Garten, Cook Like A Pro Cookbook

Makes 10 servings

5 pounds large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut in 3/4-inch chunks

5 large garlic cloves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

7-8 ounces garlic and herb goat cheese at room temperature, such as Montrachet or I use a 1 box of flavored 5.2 ounce package of garlic and herb cream cheese called Boursin

4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

freshly chopped parsley for garnish 

1.   Place the potatoes, garlic and 1 Tbsp. of Kosher salt in a large pot with enough water to cover the potatoes.  Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 20-25 minutes or until very tender. 

3.  Drain the potatoes and garlic and place in a mixer bowl while still hot.  Beat with the flat paddle of a mixer on medium-low speed.  

4.  While the potatoes are still hot, stir in the cream cheese, butter, sour cream, 4 tsp. Kosher salt, and 2 tsp. pepper until smooth. 

5.  Place potatoes in a crockpot and store until needed.  The morning of serving, sprinkle the top of the potatoes with the Parmesan cheese and parsley, turn crockpot on low to slowly heat up.  Serve piping hot.