Mashed Potato Casserole

One of my favorite parts of every holiday meal is the mashed potatoes.  I could actually do without the Thanksgiving turkey as long as I have mashed potatoes and stuffing.  Seriously.  So of course we’ll be having mashed potatoes with our Easter dinner on Saturday (yes, Saturday--read it here).

But anyone who has ever orchestrated a large holiday meal knows how hard it is to get the mashed potatoes to the table hot.  Not only do you have to time it perfectly, but they lose a lot of heat during the mashing and mixing process.  So what’s the answer?  Mashed potato casserole!!

It’s perfect!  You make it ahead of time, up to a day before you will serve it and just pop it in the oven when you are ready.  Not only does this help get it to the table hot, but it also means one less thing to be done that day.

I must admit here that I am a mashed potato snob.  I have tasted many a mashed potato that did not meet up to my standards.  I believe mashed potatoes should taste good enough that you don’t even want to put gravy on them.  This recipe meets that standard.

I got this recipe from Mrs. Kettering, the lovely lady who mentored me through college.  I have left it unaltered here, though there are many ways it could be altered (see end of recipe).

Mashed Potato Casserole

3 lbs. russet potatoes

8 oz. cream cheese, cubed

½ c. (1 stick) butter, cubed

½ c. sour cream

3 eggs

½ c. milk

½ c. onions, minced

2 tsp. salt

¼-½ tsp. pepper

Wash, peel, and dice potatoes.

Boil until tender; drain.  Return potatoes to pot.  Mash with potato masher to desired consistency.

This is best done in the pot so you will have the residual
heat to help melt the butter and cream cheese.  For the
sake of better photos, I used a large mixing bowl.

Add cream cheese and butter; stir until melted and incorporated.

Cubing the butter and cream cheese helps them melt faster.

Add sour cream and mix well.  In a small bowl, thoroughly beat eggs with fork.  Add milk, onions, salt, and pepper.

Be sure to completely break up the eggs before adding
the other ingredients.

Add egg mixture to potato mixture and mix completely (potatoes will be runny).

Pour into greased baking dish (at least 3-quarts).  Refrigerate overnight or until ready to bake.  Bake, uncovered, in oven pre-heated to 325° for about 1 hour.  Check with thermometer to be sure center reaches 165°.  Let rest at least 5 minutes before serving. Yield:  almost 3 quarts.  Total cost:  about $4.

The potatoes puff up in the oven so be sure you use a big
enough dish.  This one is four quarts.

I garnished these with garlic chives from my garden.

Variations:

-     Sauté onions with minced garlic in butter or olive oil before adding to eggs.

-     Add shredded cheddar cheese before pouring into baking dish.

-     Add cooked, crumbled bacon before pouring into baking dish.

-     Stir some chives into potatoes.

-     Fold some chopped roasted garlic into potatoes before adding egg mixture.