Thankful for Mashed Potatoes

Thanksgiving buffet at the farm a few years ago.

On many a Thanksgiving plate, you’ll find mashed potatoes nudged up against the turkey and dressing surrounded by a puddle of gravy. But there are other ways to serve the ubiquitous spuds. When I mentioned my Thanksgiving side dish to Cyndy, she had a different take.

“I make them about the same way you do with Boursin cheese, butter, garlic and light cream, but then I put them back into the shell with a sprinkle of cheese before twice baking.” Good idea, but since I may have as many as 40 at the farm this year, it’s probably best for me to serve them out of a bowl.

“One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four”

Remember the counting game from childhood, where we stuck out a fist and someone pounded it with their fist as they counted “one potato, two, potato, three potato, four,” to determine who was “it?” Today let’s count potato recipes, well, at least, four of them.

Garlicky Mashed Potatoes

Writer Nora Ephron wisely said, “People need more mashed potatoes in their lives.” She called the silky, smooth spuds, “God’s shaving cream.

For our “Friendsgiving” Day, at the farm it takes 10-12 pounds of the fluffy carb. I have two regular guests, who’ve become quite adept at pushing the potatoes through a potato ricer. This year I have a food mill, that should make it a little easier.

Grace runs the cooked potatoes through a ricer.

At the farm, we’ve come upon a trick for keeping potatoes warm on the Thanksgiving buffet. We put just a skim of warm milk in the bottom of a Crockpot, heap in the mashed potatoes, set on warm and cover. Then fluff them a bit before serving.

Cyndy’s Twice Baked Thanksgiving Taters

Before going into the oven for their second baking, these potatoes gets a sprinkle of cheese, green onions and cooked bacon pieces.

Sweet Potatoes with Bourbon

Then there’s sweet potatoes and it’s many variations. This recipe has a bit of bourbon, which often encourages the non-sweet potato people to, at least, give the dish a ~~sip,~~ I mean a try.

Melissa Clark of the New York Times offered the recipe last year along with a cute video. And, no, the bourbon is for the dish not the cook! This year I may do a variation of the recipe with sliced sweet potato rounds and a topping made of butter, brown sugar and pecans. I’m not a fan of yams topped with marshmallows, but they can certainly be added.

Mashed sweet potatoes

Mixed Roasted Potatoes

If you want to keep it simple, combine a variety of potato chunks—Russets, red skinned, and sweet potatoes—for a colorful roasted mixture. For even more ideas for Thanksgiving potatoes check this out.