Freezable Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Directions:

1. Ingredients
2. 12 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes
3. 1 tbsp. oil added to cooking water to reduce foaming
4. 24 oz. Neufchatel or cream cheese*
5. 4 cups buttermilk or plain yogurt
6. 1/4 tsp. cayenne, parsley flakes or dried chives, salt and pepper to taste
7. Directions
8. Peel potatoes and cut into 2-inch chunks. Remove any gray spots; they may be carcinogenic (cancer-causing) fungus. Likewise any green just under the peel; it's mildly toxic.
9. Place in 8 to 12 quart pan; add preheated water to cover, bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce heat to a steady simmer. Cover and simmer until the potatoes are very tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Drain well; you need warm, dry potatoes to avoid lumps.
10. If you are not going to mash immediately, you have to keep them hot and dry. Place colander into the cooking pan to keep draining, and place pan lid on top the colander to help keep in the warmth. If it will have to set a few minutes, place a paper towel in between the lid and the potatoes, to absorb steam.
11. Return potatoes to the pan. Mash potatoes with a potato masher until light and dry. Add no liquid until the potatoes are as smooth as you like!
12. Stir in cream cheese and milk, mash until smooth.
13. * garlic-flavor Boursin or Rondele brands soft cheese or other herbal soft cheese, is delicious, or 4 tbsp. crushed roasted garlic, or 1 tbsp. garlic salt adds even more flavor.
14. Add parsley flake or chives, salt, pepper to taste.
15. Cool potatoes to room temperature. Divide potatoes into 2 oiled 9x13 pans or 3-4 9 to10 pie pans oven safe casserole dishes. Cover with foil; freeze. Or, place prepared mashed potatoes in freezer bags in meal-sized portions, squeeze out all the air and seal.
16. May be heated frozen or thawed overnight in the refrigerator. For the oven, reheat covered at 375 degrees, 40 minutes for thawed potatoes, 90 minutes straight from freezer.
17. Or heat thawed mashed potatoes in the microwave, covered, stirring every 2 minutes. As the potatoes get hot, they will thicken and return to their original texture.
18. Higher protein variation. You can also use these in place of the cream cheese and buttermilk: substitute 4 cups of cottage cheese beaten smooth with 1 dozen eggs. Slightly grainier texture, but high enough in protein to act as an entree by itself. I often use this for non-vegan vegetarians
19. Mashed Potato Variations
20. A wide variety of ethnic dishes are made from equal parts of mashed potatoes and cooked vegetables, including spinach, cabbage, kale, and mashed pumpkin or winter squash.
21. Breakfast: oil or Pam a cookie sheet, put a big spoonful of potatoes for each serving, make a big indentation with a big spoon and break an egg into each. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes until egg is cooked and potatoes slightly brown.
22. Or mix with a little flour and an egg, and make potato pancakes.
23. Top a 1-1/2 quart casserole of stew with 2 cups of mashed potatoes. Bake 30 minutes at 425 until hot throughout.