I cannot believe that next week is Thanksgiving already!  Of course I also can’t believe that Madeline is nine months old already … or that Nicholas is six.  Just color me in a total and perpetual state of disbelief.

So with Thanksgiving nearly upon us (nine days! nine days!), I thought I’d trot out some of our favorite tried-and-true recipes for Thanksgiving to gear up for the big day.  Although called “7 Days of Thanksgiving,” they’re not going to be consecutive because I didn’t want to go right up to the big day (hello advance planners!), so you’ll just have to keep checking back to see what the next recipe will be.  Today is the first day of our 7 day series, and we’re tackling a side dish that’s sure to be on a lot of holiday plates next week … mashed potatoes.

The boys despise mashed potatoes.  I really don’t know what’s wrong with them.  Unfortunately, whatever their problem is, they gave it to Madeline too, as mashed potatoes are one of the two things she refuses to eat (the other being squash).  And believe me, she eats anything else that isn’t nailed down.  Luckily for me, my mom likes mashed potatoes, so years ago, they became one of our standard side dishes at the Thanksgiving table.

Up until three years ago, I also used my own wing-it recipe, taking cues from a version that old family friends made for their Thanksgiving feast.  Honestly, when you’re adding things like sour cream, butter, and milk, you really can’t go wrong with whatever proportions you use.  But then a few years ago, I stumbled upon a recipe from Southern Living magazine, Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes.  You know how crazy the kitchen (and the oven!) is during the holidays, with every little vegetable, fruit and protein vying for valuable counter and oven space, so I was immediately intrigued by the “make ahead” aspect, and they made their first appearance back in 2005 2006 (I could have sworn it was ‘06 but I just went back and looked; geesh they say the memory is the first thing to go).  And the rest is history…

Very simple to make, this recipe produces creamy, delicious, to-die-for mashed potatoes that are a true comfort food dish that is welcome at any Thanksgiving table.

Would love to hear about your favorite Thanksgiving side dish!

Next time … we tackle cranberries.

Until then…

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
Recipe courtesy of Southern Living magazine

3 lb. potatoes (about 4 large)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 (3-oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon. paprika

Boil potatoes with salt until tender. Drain. Peel potatoes; place in large mixing bowl, and mash with a potato masher. Add 2 tbsp. butter and next 4 ingredients, mixing until all ingredients are blended.

Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 12 x 8 x 2 inch baking dish. Brush top of mixture with melted butter; sprinkle with paprika. Bake immediately, or cover and refrigerate. If refrigerated, let stand at room temperature 30 min. before baking. Bake at 350, uncovered, 30 minutes or until hot.

Yield 6-8 servings

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