Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes

Since my last post was about Whipped Rutabaga and Potato, and this post is about Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes (in which I whip the potatoes instead of mashing them), you are going to start thinking I have a thing for my electric hand mixer.

But I really don't have a thing for my electric hand mixer. I actually generally prefer to mash potatoes by hand.That being said, the overwhelming evidence here indicates that I like to whip out my electric hand mixer.
I guess the more accurate truth is that I have a thing for potatoes in general. Whipped, mashed, scalloped, baked, fried in a skillet, made into chips, simmered into soup, served with pot roast, or transformed into gnocchi, I like potatoes.And lately, since I've been getting some hits on an old post, Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes, I thought I'd write about them again (and hopefully take better pictures this time around).Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes are a great Thanksgiving dish. Not only are Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes extra special, extra tasty potatoes, but they are easy to incorporate into a busy Thanksgiving menu. You can prepare them a day or two ahead of time. Put them in the refrigerator unbaked until the day you want to serve them. Then, on that day, you can bake them early in the day, and then set them aside for a while until it's time for the meal. Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes stay hot for a long time after being baked.

Long live Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes!THANKSGIVING MASHED POTATOES

3-4 pounds of potatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup milk or cream or evaporated milk
salt, black pepper, and white pepper, to taste
1 egg

Peel potatoes, chop into large chunks, and cook until tender in salted water.

While potatoes are cooking saute onion in butter for a few minutes, just to soften and sweeten the onion. Add minced garlic to saute and cook for just a minute after onion is softened. Remove from heat. (The little bits of onion and garlic will disappear after the potatoes are baked in the oven.)

Drain cooked potatoes. Add onions and garlic. Add cream cheese and milk. Then whip everything together really well with an electric hand mixer. Add salt, pepper, and any additional seasonings to taste.

Let the potatoes cool to just warm and then add the egg and whip again. Pour into a buttered casserole dish. Use a casserole dish slightly larger than your amount of potatoes because these puff up in volume a little bit while baking. Potatoes can now be baked, or you can put them in the refrigerator for a day or two until it's time to bake them.

To bake: Cover casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for at least an hour (longer if chilled). You will know they are done cooking when the top has puffed up evenly. Remove lid for the last 10-15 minutes to make a nice golden crust.

These will stay warm for a long time after baking if re-covered and set aside in a warm kitchen.