Creamy Mashed Potatoes

I was in charge of making the mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner this year and wanted a recipe my family would really enjoy.  These potatoes are not light, but they are delicious.  These potatoes can be prepped in advance and heated when you are ready to eat which helped sell me on this recipe.

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:

5 pounds russet potatoes

1 ½ sticks softened butter

1 8 ounce package reduced fat cream cheese at room temperature

½ cup half and half

Salt and pepper to taste

Heavy cream or milk if needed for thinning

Directions:

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees if serving immediately.
2. Peel the potatoes and rinse with cold water. 
3. Slice the potatoes into fourths.
4. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and cook until for tender 20-25 minutes.
5. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan.  With the burner on low heat mash the potatoes with a masher.  The more steam the better.  Mash for about 5 minutes then turn the burner off.
6. Add the butter, cream cheese, and half and half.  Stir to combine.  Add milk or cream if needed to thin.  Salt and pepper to taste.
7. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a 9×13 dish.  Cover the potatoes with foil and bake for 15 minutes.  Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
8. You can dot the surface of the potatoes with butter before baking if you want an extra kick of butter.