I don't really think Thanksgiving should be fancy; it's really about spending time with your family, maybe watching some football, and eating a lot of turkey. Usually dry turkey, but we'll get to that on another post. These potatoes, whipped in the mixer and containing no roasted garlic or truffle oil nonsense, have been a favorite guilty pleasure of mine for as long as I can remember. One note of caution, however - if you make them, be prepared to make them again and again. Everyone loves them. Make sure all of your dairy ingredients are at room temperature before you begin, because potatoes do not like to be overmixed. Please don't try to lighten it up by using low fat dairy products, that's just wrong. I'll tell you how to make wonderfully delicious, low-fat potatoes in another post, but for now, just make the nice fattening potatoes. It's Thanksgiving.
This recipe comes from my grandmother.
Party Potatoes - serves 8-10, depending on your family's love of carbohydrates. In my house, it serves about 6...
10 pounds nice, un-fancy Idaho potatoes
2 sticks butter, cut into cubes
1 8 oz block cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 8 oz tub sour cream
salt
pepper
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Peel your potatoes and chop into 1" pieces; boil in well salted water until soft. Drain and return to the pot. Mash a little with a potato masher and then get your hand mixer (or transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer, use a paddle attachment). Add one stick of the butter, the cream cheese and the sour cream. Mix until just blended; season with salt and pepper to taste and stir. Place the potatoes in a large casserole dish and dot the top with the other stick of chopped butter. Bake for about 40 mintues or until the top is very slightly brown and butter is all nice and melty.
