Do Ahead Potatoes, The Easy Mashed Potato Recipe!
This recipe is a suggestion for your Thanksgiving Day meal.
It is great because it can be made ahead of time, leaving you with more time for last minute Turkey and gravy and who wants to be mashing potatoes when there is so many other things to do?
Plus, it is so easy to do a couple days before the big event.
Have you ever had a “go-to” recipe that is a “never fail and always there for you” kind of recipe?
Of course you have.
We all have a family favorite that has become like a signature dish in our recipe files.
In fact, many times we do not need the recipe to follow, because we already know the ingredients and the order they fall in…
…..because we have made the recipe so many times.
This is such a recipe and it is a recipe that I treasure because of who gave it to me, and yes, there is a story to tell.
The story behind this recipe is …
…… The recipe is about 44 years old and was given to me by Dottie, our Pastor’s wife at our church home in Kansas.
This was the standby mashed potato recipe for all the Holidays at the church’s fellowship hall, because it could be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until needed.
The casserole dish was then popped into the oven for a reheat just before serving.
Convenient?
Absolutely!
We always had a sign up sheet for our Church’s Holiday dinners because it was always a church wide event and therefore many, many mouths to feed.
Dottie said she wanted to make sure that each lady who signed up to bring the mashed potatoes made the same recipe.
And because this recipe was handed out to the ladies signed up for the mashed potato part of the menu…the taste was the same and everyone loved it, especially paired with the wonderfully creamy, almost translucent, golden-brown gravy. (Which is another recipe I will share soon.)
If we had made a turkey or chicken in the week before this big church event, we were also asked to bring a mason jar with our left over chicken/turkey broth.
One of our church ladies (Angela, pronounced AnnGayLa) was in charge of the delicious gravy and each year she would put it all together in a GIANT pot using the broths we brought. Oh that gravy tasted so good.
Aren’t most church ladies good cooks?
So good that many churches put together cook books with their cherished recipes.
I am doing something different today by providing the mashed potato recipe in Dottie’s handwriting as well as the printable recipe below.
Dottie went to be with the Lord about 17 years ago and I really miss her.
She was a great Pastor’s wife and a very good friend.
There are many variations of this recipe around the horn today…after all this recipe has been around at least 44 years…. and perhaps you have one similar you would like to share.
If this is a first for you, enjoy this easy to make-ahead… delicious mashed potato recipe with any of your busy Holiday meals…..or make it a week-day event.
OR suggest it for your next church’s Holiday meal.
Thanks Dottie!
Psalm 100:4
“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise; be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.”
- 12 large potatoes, peeled, boiled in salted water
- 1 package cream cheese (8 oz) softened at room temperature
- 1 carton sour cream (8 oz)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- paprika for garnish if desired
- Mash potatoes with softened cream cheese, sour cream and onion powder. If needed, add small amount of milk for desired consistency.
- Put the potatoes into a 9X13 buttered casserole dish.
- Cover with foil and place in fridge overnight....or bake immediately, whichever is most convenient.
- When ready to serve, remove potatoes from fridge and remove the foil.
- Pour 1/4 cup melted butter over top and bake at 350 for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Remove from oven and sprinkle with Paprika, if desired.
- This recipe can be made and frozen ahead of time....just be sure to let set at room temperature for 30 minutes before putting in oven.
- Note: I use butter, but Dottie used margarine!
Dee Hadsall says
Sounds safe good. I plan to make to take to our church luncheon. Love your recipes and table decor. Have a great Thanksgiving
Take care
Kari says
Thanks Deedee….hope you are doing ok…I pray for you. Have a great Thanksgiving my friend.
Sandy Marshall says
Kari, it sounds absolutely scrumptious. If I still cooked, I would do it in a minute. I don’t cook anymore. I just do sandwiches and canned soup or go out to a scrumptious restaurant.
Kari says
I hear ya about cooking Sandy…there are so many of our friends who cannot spend so much time in the kitchen anymore. I love to go out for breakfast as well as lunch or dinner. Have a great and wonderful week my dear friend.
Sandy Marshall says
Yesterday, we met a couple of our TWA friends at Red Lobster and enjoyed a nice dinner. Today we went to Hy Vee for the Veteran’s breakfast, and tomorrow we’re meeting some friends at Corner Cafe in Riverside for breakfast. lol We eat out a lot. You have a wonderful week, Kari!
the Painted Apron says
This sounds wonderful Kari! I love easy and do ahead recipes, they are the best!
Jenna
Kari says
It sure helps on managing one’s time when there is so much hustle and bustle of the Holidays. Thanks Jenna for stopping by. Hugs