Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Courtesy of The Pioneer Woman - she is AMAZING!  Every single recipe of hers I've tried has been a HUGE hit, so I'm trusting her completely with my Thanksgiving menu! :)

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Prep Time:

 1 Hour

 

Cook Time:

 30 Minutes

 

Difficulty:

 Easy

 

Servings:

 10

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 3/4 cups Butter
• 1 package (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened
• 1/2 cup (to 3/4 Cups) Half-and-Half
• 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Black Pepper

Preparation Instructions

Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces that are generally the same size. Bring a large pot of water to a simmer and add the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 to 35 minutes. When they’re cooked through, the fork should easily slide into the potatoes with no resistance, and the potatoes should almost, but not totally, fall apart.

Drain the potatoes in a large colander. When the potatoes have finished draining, place them back into the dry pot and put the pot on the stove. Mash the potatoes over low heat, allowing all the steam to escape, before adding in all the other ingredients.

Turn off the stove and add 1 ½ sticks of butter, an 8-ounce package of cream cheese and about ½ cup of half-and-half. Mash, mash, mash! Next, add about ½ teaspoon of Lawry’s Seasoning Salt and ½ a teaspoon of black pepper.

Stir well and place in a medium-sized baking dish. Throw a few pats of butter over the top of the potatoes and place them in a 350-degree oven and heat until butter is melted and potatoes are warmed through.

Note: When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Crock Pot Mashed Potatoes

(Courtesy of busycooks.about.com)

Potatoes are actually cooked and mashed out of the crockpot, then cooked for a couple of hours to blend the flavors. This recipe for Crockpot Mashed Potatoes is perfect for the holidays because there's no last minute preparation.

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours, 25 minutes

Yield: Serves 8-10

Ingredients:

• 5 lbs. red potatoes, cut into chunks (peeled if you like)
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 2 cubes chicken bouillon
• 8 oz. container sour cream
• 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, garlic and chicken bouillon cubes. Cook potatoes until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, reserving a little of the cooking water.

Mash potatoes with sour cream and cream cheese, adding reserved cooking water to reach desired consistency. Transfer to a 4 quart crockpot, cover, and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. Just before serving, stir in butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel Topping

Sweet Potato Casserole with Crunchy Pecan Streusel

Cook Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Yield: 6-8

Ingredients

• 4 sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled
• 1 tablespoon of butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla
• Pecan Streusel Topping:
• 1 cup of chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of melted butter
• 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Prick sweet potatoes, using a fork, a couple of times on all sides.
3. Place sweet potatoes on oven rack and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until potatoes are done.
4. Remove sweet potatoes from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes until potatoes have cooled.
5. Remove skin and place the potato flesh in a large bowl.
6. Next add melted butter, honey, and vanilla. Mix together with a hand blender until potatoes are creamy and smooth.
7. Place mashed potatoes in a 2 1/2 quart round corningware baker. {or in a 8x8 glass pan}
8. In the meantime, in a small bowl add chopped pecans, brown sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon. Mix together until all combined. Sprinkle pecan streusel over the mashed sweet potatoes.
9. Put sweet potato casserole with pecan streusel in 350° oven for 45 minutes or until topping is browned.
10. Serve!

Libby's Pumpkin Pie

This comes right off the can of Libby's pumpkin.  I use it for my pumpkin pies every year and it's always delicious!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 large eggs
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
• 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
• Whipped cream (optional)

Directions

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving. 

Italian Sausage soup

This is another delicious soup my friend Elania made on Halloween!  She also added orzo pasta - it was tasty!

Italian Sausage Soup

Ingredients

2 pounds Italian sausage

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

4 (14 ounce) cans beef broth

• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian-style stewed tomatoes
• 2 cups sliced carrots

• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans great Northern beans, undrained
• 4 small zucchini, cubed
• 4 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Original recipe yields 6 servings

Note: Recipe directions are for the original serving size.

Directions

• In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
• Remove from heat, and add spinach. Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes.

Pumpkin Soup

We just ate this at a neighborhood Halloween party and it was so amazing that I HAD to get the recipe  (This recipe is courtesy of my friend Elania)!  It's the perfect way to use up those pumpkins after Halloween! :)

I only altered it a bit, with the "healthy heavy cream substitute" that I discovered here.  It turned out delicious!  This is definitely one of my new favorite recipes! 

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup chopped onion

• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 5 whole black peppercorns

Original recipe yields 8 to 10 servings

Directions

• Heat stock, salt, pumpkin, onion, thyme, garlic, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.
• Puree the soup in small batches (1 cup at a time) using a food processor or blender.
• Return to pan, and bring to a boil again. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for another 30 minutes, uncovered. Stir in heavy cream. Pour into soup bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.